When it comes to festive pumpkin desserts, look no further than Buddakan’s Pumpkin Egg Custard Tart. We caught up with Daniel Skurnick, the wizard behind Buddakan’s pastries, who showed us how to master this beautiful treat.
Born in the Hudson Valley, Skurknick brings his hometown farm roots to the table and mixes them with New York City’s flair. He started working in the kitchen at a young age, washing lettuce and chucking oysters, and soon worked his way up to chef de cuisine. After many long hectic nights, the precise calm of the pastry department caught his eye. He moved into the world of pastries and now has an impressive history including David Bouley’s assistant pastry chef, Gramercy Tavern, and Jean Georges.
Daniel also spent several years living in Thailand working with indigenous hill tribes, gaining deep insight into their local culture, ingredients, and different cooking techniques. He brings these ancient skills to Buddakan’s modern tables, and understands the importance of local products, pure flavors and creativity.
As Buddakan’s Executive Pastry Chef, Skurnick mixes his Asian cooking styles with his love of the farmers’ markets and his skill of modern pastry techniques. The result is a unique product that has garnered him public praise that we are certain you will understand after you check out his pumpkin tart.
Just in time for Fall, this dessert dresses up the pumpkin like we’ve never seen.
1. Add roasted pumpkin puree, sugar, egg yolks and whole eggs into your bowl and whisk until you get a nice smooth paste.
2. Blend the mix but don’t aerate, you don’t want the batter to be foamy.
3. Once smoothly mixed, add in the half and half slowly.
4. Strain the batter into molds, taking out any stringiness from the pumpkins.
5. Put the molds in the oven at 275 degrees for 3o minutes. The centers should be set with a little jiggle.
6. Take out of of the oven and put the molds into the freezer to set firm. Once out of the freezer, let them defrost.
7. Once defrosted, place the custard on a ginger snap cookie.
8. If you can, brûlée the top using white granulated sugar and a blow torch until you get a sizzling caramel crust.
9. Decorate the dish using a a variety of garnishes and sauces including pumpkin see oil, pomegranate molasses, red curry pumpkin and whip cream. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
And…Voila! Just in time for fall, you have the perfect pumpkin tart!
Have you tried Buddakan’s Pumpkin Egg Custard Tart, or have another idea for a tasty pumpkin treat? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Lauren is a New York-based writer from Nashville. She’s lived in Paris and Italy, loves eating her way around new destinations, and considers herself a French fry connoisseur. She can often be found in Central Park training for her next marathon, hunting for the best homemade pasta in Manhattan, or petting dogs on the sidewalk. She loves dancing, camping, snowboarding and photography and considers coffee a major food group. Lauren resides in the East Village of Manhattan where she is working on a book about her big dog, Gizelle.
