Caramel Butternut Squash Torte with Cinnamon Pecans

Name: Caramel Butternut Squash Torte
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 oz unsalted butter -very cold cut into slices; 1 cup all purpose flour; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 large egg; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp Baking powder; 1 tbsp ice water if needed*; 9 oz Butternut squash (cleaned and cut into cubes, 250 g); 2 large eggs; 1 13.4 oz can of dulce de leche or caramel*; 4 oz Ricotta Cheese; 1 Tsp Vanilla; 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1/4 cup Pecans chopped; dusting of confectioners sugar

March 18, 2012 by Chef Dennis Littley 35 Comments

A caramel butternut squash torte would be the perfect dessert for this fall season. baked in a sweet pastry crust, you won't believe it's butternut squash!

Total Time: 45 minutes

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What could be better this fall season than my Caramel Butternut Squash Torte?

It’s no secret that I love browsing through food magazine’s, and I’m not talking about those tired old publications that use to be the industry standard. You won’t find many US magazine’s in my house if you find any. What you will find is an assortment of British and Australian Publications, ranging from the BBC Good Food to Australia’s Delicious!

I will freely admit that two of my favorites are Donna Hay and Woman and Home “Feel Good Food” , not typically a man’s magazine but definitely worth the read. This particular recipe comes from Christmas edition of “Feel Good Food”, and that issue had so many wonderful creations that I bought it immediately, waiting until I got home to truly enjoy each delicious page (once you start drooling on the paper you buy it anyway). I kept buying Butternut Squash, thinking this would be the week that I made, but weeks turned into months, and finally, with spring on our doorstep, I figured it was now or next winter, and I just couldn’t wait that long to try this torte.

If you love fall desserts, take a look at my Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake.

I know with spring coming this isn’t exactly the time of year to be posting a recipe with winter squash, but if you can still get your hands on some, give it a try! The only thing missing from this dessert was a big dollop of fresh whipped cream, and if I had seasoned it up just a bit more, you would’ve sworn it was pumpkin, only lighter. The filling had a custard-like quality that left you feeling satisfied instead of overwhelmed, the perfect end to a meal!

If you’ve tried my Caramel Butternut Squash Torte recipe or any other recipe on askchefdennis.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @chefdenniseats and @chefdennistravels, Twitter and Facebook.

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5 from 1 vote

Caramel Butternut Squash Torte

A caramel butternut squash torte would be the perfect dessert for this fall season. baked in a sweet pastry crust, you won't believe it's butternut squash!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash uses, fall pie

Servings:

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Sweet Crust

2 oz unsalted butter -very cold cut into slices
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tbsp ice water if needed*

Filling

9 oz Butternut squash cleaned and cut into cubes, 250 g
2 large eggs
1 13.4 oz can of dulce de leche or caramel*
4 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup Pecans chopped
dusting of confectioners sugar

Instructions

Sweet Pastry dough

In a food processor add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and pulse to blend
add butter and pulse until grainy
add egg and pulse
if dough is not coming together on the blade add up to one tablespoon of ice water to mix and pulse.
roll pastry dough on a floured surface until it is large enough to fit into a tart pan *
If the dough feels to soft, return pan to refrigerator or freezer until the dough is firm.
Place parchment or foil inside of tart pan and add pie weights to pan to keep the surface flat while baking.
Bake tart for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, remove pie weights and parchment and continue to bake for 7-10 more minutes *
Allow shell to cool before filling

Filling

Steam butternut squash in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until tender
Place eggs, 1/2 can of dulce de leche or caramel, vanilla, ricotta and cinnamon into the food processor and pulse until blended.
Add cooled squash and pulse until smooth
fill tart shell with mix and place into a 350 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the custard is set.
Allow tart to cool on wire rack, but while still warm spread the remainder of the can of dulce de leche on the top of the tart.
Sprinkle with chopped pecans and allow to cool until set completely, about 1 hour.
Dust around the rim with confectioners sugar and serve with fresh whipped cream

Notes

*can size may very some as long as its within an ounce or two it should be ok
*If you freeze the pastry dough unbaked in the tart pan, you do not need to place parchment and pie weights in the pan while baking.
*if crust on the rim appears to be getting too dark cover with foil to finish baking

Nutrition

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About Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

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