A spicy gingersnap crust with a sweet and creamy filling, this Hubbard Squash Tart is full of warming fall flavor and it’s easier than you think!
A friend of mine recently brought me a Hubbard Squash and I had no idea what to do with it. I started pouring over recipes in cookbooks and scouring websites and found the usual suspects – roasted sweet or savory, or some kind of pureed soup.
I wanted to do something different – I wanted to make a Hubbard Squash Tart.
Plus I’d always been trolled for not making my pumpkin pie “from scratch” – I use canned pumpkin – so I went into this with something to prove.
I proved it.
Key Ingredients
The main players in this recipe for Hubbard Squash Tart are:
- Gingersnaps – You want to use store-bought gingersnaps or ginger thins (shown here), not homemade (unless you’re homemade gingersnaps are super crunchy and well, snappy).
- Winter Squash – This includes Hubbard Squash, Butternut, Kabocha, or even Sugar Pie Pumpkins
- Spices – You can use a spice blend or individual spices (ie: cinnamon)
The Process
Here’s a helpful rundown of the process for making a Hubbard Squash Tart:
First up is crust – You’ll want to process your gingersnaps in a food processor or blender (or bashing them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) until they’re pretty fine. Some larger pieces are ok, but overall you want a finer texture.
Once your crumbs are ready, pour them into a large mixing bowl and add your melted butter. Mix everything thoroughly and then press the mixture firmly and evenly into a tart pan or pie plate. Set aside.
Now on to the filling – Take your squash and split it down the middle into two halves. Rub with a very small amount of oil and place each half face-down onto a greased sheet pan. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of water and place in the oven. Roast until fork tender. Remove from oven and cool.
Why do I have to roast the squash? Why can’t I boil it? Technically yes, you could boil or steam the squash. But I find these processes impart more liquid to the squash than is desirable and I end up with a runny tart (read: TOO MUCH WATER). Roasting cooks the squash through without adding moisture to the equation.
Once your Hubbard squash has cooled, you’ll want to scoop out the meat and place it in your food processor or blender and blend until smooth (technically, I pureed mine by hand, but it will be more consistent if you use a processor).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk and eggs until light and foamy. Measure out 2 cups of squash and add this to your egg mixture. Then add all of your remaining filling ingredients to bowl (brown sugar, pie spice, salt, and half-and-half) and mix until well blended.
Your finished filling should be thoroughly combined and smooth.
Pour your filling into your prepared crust. It should come right up to the edge of the crust, but not run over the top. (If it does, it’s not the end of the world – whipped cream covers a multitude of sins).
Place your tart in the oven and bake until set – about 45min.
The tart is finished baking when you give it a little shake – if the center doesn’t giggle, it’s set and you’re good to go. You can also poke a knife in the center – if it comes out clean, you’re good.
Remove from the oven, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Roasted Hubbard Squash Tart with Gingersnap Crust
Equipment
- food processor or blender
- tart pan or pie pan
Ingredients
Tart Filling
- 2.5 pound Hubbard squash or other winter squash/pumpkin whole, with seeds and skin
- 2 tsp neutral vegetable oil (ie: canola oil)
- 2 Tbsp butter room temperature/softened
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 large eggs, whole
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup half-and-half
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 ½ cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 6 Tbsp butter melted
Instructions
Preparing the Squash
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Rinse/wipe the outside of the Hubbard squash to remove any visible dirt.
- Set the squash on it's base, on a stable cutting board. Using a large chef's knife, carefully split the squash in half, from the top, down.
- Using a metal spoon, scrape out the seeds and discard. Evenly rub the 2 tsp of oil on all sides of the squash.
- Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the prepared squash on the baking sheet, cut-side down (skin-side facing up).
- Add a small splash of water (no more than 3-4 Tbsp) to the sheet pan, and place it in the oven. Roast until the squash is fork-tender, about 45min.
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool. (At this point, you can scoop out the meat and refrigerate if you're roasting your squash in advance. Otherwise, continue with the recipe.)
Preparing the Gingersnap Crust
- Place your gingersnap cookies or wafers in a food processor or blender* and process until they are a fine crumb. *You can also do this by hand by placing the cookies in a plastic zip-top bag, and hitting them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a small sauce pot.
- Pour crumbs into a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine thoroughly with melted butter.
- Press crumb mixture into a standard tart pan (9.5-10 inches) or a regular pie plate (not a deep dish).
- Set aside.
Preparing the Filling
- Gather all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and place it in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.**You could do this by hand with a potato masher or even a fork, but the squash will not end up as smooth. However, as long as there are no large chunks remaining, your final product will be fine.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 Tbsp of room temperature/softened butter with 2 Tbsp granulated sugar. Beat with a whisk until creamy.
- Add the 1 egg yolk and 2 whole eggs, one at a time, and whisk well between additions.
- Add 2 cups of pureed Hubbard squash and mix well to combine. Depending on the size of your squash, you may or may not need all of the pureed squash. Save any extra squash for another purpose.
- Add brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, mixing well.
- Add half-and-half and whisk well to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake a 350°F for 40-50min, or until a skewer/knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Serve with whipped cream or the topping of your choice.
Recipe Notes
- Can I prepare this recipe ahead of time? Yes! You can prep your squash and put your crust together 1-2 days ahead of time. Just be sure to refrigerate the cooked squash until you’re ready to use it, and give it a good stir before you begin your recipe.
- Can I use another type of squash? YES, you can use different types of winter squash. Obviously I used Hubbard squash for a Hubbard Squash Tart, but you can use Hubbard, Butternut, Kobocha, pie pumpkins and the like. This is not the place for summer squashes (yellow squash, zucchini, etc..).
- I don’t have pumpkin pie spice, can I use something else? Yes! If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, don’t run out to the store and buy something you won’t use regularly. Keep it simple and just use cinnamon or make your own spice blend with ginger, nutmeg and clove. The gingersnap crust brings it’s own spice to the table so it can act as a flavor insurance policy here.
- Can I use a graham cracker crust? Absolutely, but you may want to punch up the seasonings in the filling.
- Can and I use a pastry crust? Technically yes, but I feel like the crumb crusts lend some texture to an overall smooth dish. You may want to have some other element on hand as a topping to add some crunch.
- How long can I store this? This tart will keep covered and refrigerated for 2-3 days. The crust will get softer as time progresses, but the flavor will not suffer.
Finishing Touches
I like topping Hubbard Squash Tart with whipped cream, sprinkled with the reserved crust crumbs.
Other Topping Ideas:
- Pepitas
- Toasted, chopped pecans
- Whole gingersnap cookies
- Crystalized ginger pieces
- Caramel sauce
- Dust with powdered spices: cinnamon, ginger or pumpkin pie spice
This dessert is rich enough to finish a holiday dinner, but also light enough to enjoy after a lunch.
(I’ve been known to swipe the odd slice here and there for breakfast. What? It’s got vegetables in it…)