Instructions: For the Pate Brisee: In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, salt, and sugar. All ingredients should be cold. Add the pieces of butter and process for approximately 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. (To mix by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two table knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.) Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water, drop by drop, through the feed tube with the machine running, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process longer than 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.

Divide dough in half. Turn each half of dough out separately onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Grasping the ends of the plastic wrap with your hands, press the dough into a flat circle with your fists. This makes rolling easier than if the pastry is chilled as a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Lightly butter or spray with vegetable cooking spray the tart pans you will be using. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out twelve 4-inch circles, reusing trimmings as needed. Fit pastry in bottoms of twelve 3 1/4-inch fluted tart tins. Trim overhanging edges. Place tins on a baking sheet, and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out remaining pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness, and cut out twelve 3 1/4-inch circles. Place circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and chill for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree with the remaining ingredients (except beaten egg). Divide filling evenly among shells. Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake tarts until edges are golden brown and filling has set, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Remove chilled pastry circles from refrigerator. Using a clean utility knife, a sharp paring knife, or a set of gelee cutters, cut a jack-o-lantern face into each circle. Chill faces in freezer for 15 minutes.

Brush faces with egg wash. Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake faces until golden brown, about 12 minutes. When tarts and faces have cooled, place on face on each tart.

This recipe yields 12 tarts.

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