Here’s a gorgeous fig tart that we make every year, without fail. Since Lucia and I have a fig tree, we go deep into “fig week” — when they all ripen at once! This recipe was first published in Gourmet Magazine in 2003, and while we’ve made a few tweaks, the original recipe is a real winner.
I love this fig tart because it relies on the natural sweetness of the figs. This adaptation uses no added sugar at all, with the exception of a little vanilla bean paste (a Hipcooks favorite). The rosemary-scented pastry is made with polenta flour, so it has the most delightful crunchy texture when baked, very unique when compared to a plain tart shell. You’ll be hooked on this tart shell, and find other uses for fillings.
The figs are nestled in a no-bake pastry cream of heavenly mascarpone cheese and lemon zest. Rosemary, creamy cheese and figs just love each other: it’s a party you’ll want to repeat. In fact, we do! Look for our cooking class Cocktails 3: Summer Infusions at a Hipcooks Studio near you, where we pair summertime cocktails with heavenly infused bites. Here are 3 more recipes from Fig Week that you’ll enjoy:
Baked figs with mascarpone
Fig, goat cheese & prosciutto bruschetta
Gorgonzola figs wrapped in bacon
The pictorial step-by-step is below, the only work to this recipe is perfecting the pastry crust. Once you have the dough ready, you line the tart tin and “blind-bake.” That means: bake the pastry crust with nothing in it until it’s golden, fragrant and delicious. After that, it’s just a simple matter of spreading on the mascarpone cream and laying down the fig slices…that’s easy!
Rolling out the pastry dough in between plastic arp means (1) a very easy roll-out, and (2) easy clean-up.
The plastic wrap also means that transferring to the tart pan is super-easy.
It’s a great hip-tip! Just peel off the plastic wrap, and you’re done!
Fold over the edges and hand-crimp.
Prick the pastry all over with a fork, chill, and blind-bake.
Excellent! The golden pastryof your fig tart is ready to fill!
Plop the mascarpone cheese (scented with vanilla bean paste and lemon zest).
Lay sliced figs in overlapping concentric circles to get the beautiful rose-effect.
For a mouthwatering appearance, Lucia brushes on melted jam to finish this beaufiful fig tart.
If we have the foresight, we infuse the flour with the rosemary overnight. Just massage the chopped rosemary into the flour, releasing the marvelous essential oils of the rosemary.
Ingredients
For the polenta rosemary crust:
½ cup flour
½ polenta (look for fine ground polenta flour or fine cornmeal)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed from stem and finely chopped
1 stick (½ cup) cold butter, cubed
4 - 5 tablespoons ice waterFor the filling:
1 cup mascarpone cheese (8 oz)
⅓ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
a hearty squeeze vanilla bean paste (honey is also lovely)
zest of 2 lemons, zested with a Microplane
1 ½ pounds fresh figsFor the glaze:
jam of any kind (we use red currant)you'll also need 10-inch round fluted tart pan (1-inch deep) with a removable bottom and a pastry brush
Instructions
Make the crust in the food processor, by first pulsing the flours, salt, and rosemary together. Add the cold butter and pulse again, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add just enough cold water for it to come together into a dough.
Roll the dough in between 2 pieces of floured plastic wrap until it is just over the size of your tart pan. (You'll need a slightly larger concentric circle so that there's enough pastry for the sides. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and flip the pastry onto the pan. Gently remove the top layer of plastic wrap, and then trim & tuck in the sides of the pastry. You should have a beautiful looking pastry case!
Next, prick the bottom all over with a fork and pop it in the freezer to chill — while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the pastry case for about 30 to 40 minutes, until it is beautifully fragrant and golden-colored. Allow it to cool to room temperature, while you make the filling.
Prepare the tart filling by stirring together the mascarpone, yogurt, vanilla bean paste and lemon zest. Taste for sweetness — you don't need much! If the vanilla bean paste doesn't lend enough sweetness for your palate, try a small plop of honey. The figs will love it.
Slice the figs in the way that you see fit: you can use fig halves if the figs or small, or do as we do and make slices across each fig. Once the pastry case is cool, plop the mascarpone filling and then add the fig slices in beautiful concentric overlapping circles, working from the outside in.
For a tart worthy of a display case, brush the figs with a glaze. Melt some jam (or honey) in a pan over low heat. Add a bit of water, if necessary, to loosen. Brush the figs with the glaze.
Notes
2 comments
That’s so gorgeous! I’m jealous of your fig haul!
Looks amazing! Must try!