Ingredients:

  • 185 g All-Purpose Flour (1 ½ cups)
  • 45 g Black Cocoa Powder (½ cup)
  • 50 g Granulated Sugar (¼ cup)
  • ¼ tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 115 g Unsalted Butter, cubed and chilled
  • 4–6 Tbsp Ice Water
  • 225 g Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
  • 200 g Pumpkin Purée (¾ cup, 100% pumpkin)
  • 100 g Light Brown Sugar, packed (½ cup)
  • 1 Large Egg, plus 1 Egg Yolk (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp Ground Clove
  • 8 plain Biscuits (Digestives or Graham Crackers) for tombstones
  • 50 g Powdered Sugar (½ cup) for icing
  • 1 tsp Milk (or lemon juice) for icing
  • Black or Dark Chocolate for piping

Instructions:

  1. Combine the flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (pea-sized pieces are ideal). Drizzle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing only until the dough just comes together into a shaggy ball.
  2. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in cling film, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll the chilled dough out to about 3 mm thick, cut into circles, and press carefully into your prepared muffin tin or tartlet pans. Prick the bottoms with a fork.
  3. Blind bake the crusts: Line the crusts with parchment paper and baking beans (or dried rice) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for 3–5 minutes more until the crusts are set. Cool slightly, then reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F).
  4. Prepare the filling: Beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar together in a large bowl until perfectly smooth and lump-free. Mix in the pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove until well combined.
  5. Gently whisk in the large egg and the extra egg yolk just until they are fully incorporated. Avoid over-beating. Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly into the prepared, par-baked crusts.
  6. Bake the tarts at 160°C (325°F) for 20–25 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should still have a slight wobble. Turn the oven off, prop the door open slightly, and let the tarts cool inside the oven for 30 minutes. Remove, cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
  7. Garnish and Assemble: Decorate the biscuits (tombstones) with 'R.I.P.' or spooky messages using melted chocolate or writing icing and allow them to set. Gently press one decorated biscuit into the filling of each tart so it stands upright. Dust the entire surface lightly with residual black cocoa powder to enhance the 'graveyard dirt' effect.