Fresh Fridays: Fig & Frangipane Tart

9.16.16

Happy Friday! The weekend approaches and I am so excited to debut my new Friday series.  I rolled around a few ideas in my head, and decided that at the end of every week I’ll highlight a fruit or veggie in season! Fresh Fridays will give you an idea of something to make this weekend, or next week when you head to the grocery store or the farmers market. I’m the last person to preach healthy eating, I have a baking blog and will go through stretches of time living off Hot Pockets.  HOWEVER, I have reached a point in my life where I’ll actually crave real, fresh food.  Terrible hangover from last nights bad choices? I want a real salad, I want things to give me vitamins.  If I do go through a bender of eating unhealthy food, I will hit a point of cooking items with actual nutrition.  So while I’m using this series to give you some great new recipes, I’m also selfishly educating myself on what to use through the seasons as I bake. What will be the freshest? Plentiful? And also cheap because it’s in large supply!?

Figs are the THING right now! All through September they’re in heaps at grocery stores.  Figs are actually such a lovely fruit because they’re versatile and not overly sweet.  I’d like to think they’re the savory answer to your fruity desires.  Paired with nuts and cheese at a party, made into jam for a rich fall spread, or baked into a tart.  In order to impress on our trip to the Hamptons,  I made this tart to thank our hosts.  Then I made it again a week later to make sure its deliciousness wasn’t a fluke.  It wasn’t.  Use this tart to greet fall head on. You’ll thank me later.

Decorating this tart can be a little tedious, but the look and taste is well worth it.  Pairing figs with frangipane is a match made in heaven. Of course as I’m looking through the internet for some guidance on making this tart for the first time, I can’t find anything like it. And now within the week leading up to this post, I’ve seen at least three features on food-based Instagram feeds with fig and frangipane! I swear I’m not stealing! I just love frangipane! And figs are in season! And after you try it, you’ll understand why it’s (apparently) all the rage.

I first learned of frangipane when I made a Mug Cake inspired by this style of pastry cream.  Almond based, nutty, rich, it’s a great filler for a tart. I sealed the figs with a simple apricot preserve and honey glaze, just a touch of sweetness to add to the savory.  It was a hit. And like your everyday cheeseboard, pairing figs and nuts go beautifully together, so a dessert based off these tastes worked like a charm. Every bite has soft, velvety frangipane mixed with the slices of mild, almost melon-like taste of figs. Those who tried it, could not get enough.

I found this recipe for frangipane on Laws of Baking and I don’t know if I can ever use another.  It was perfect and delicious and the citrus zest was a nice complement within the cream.

These pictures are a combination of making this tart both times.  The second time I experimented with hanging the dough over the tart pan while I blind baked it. I think the best option is actually to make sure your dough is trimmed with about an inch or so extra above your pan before you place it in the oven.  Trying to cut excess after the blind bake can tear or rip your crust.  This way, if the crust shrinks a little as it bakes, you have a crust safety net with your extra inch.  Even if it shrinks a lot, or is uneven, you can hide the crust oopsies with the figs.

I’m always a fan of dessert that looks like still art. Hurry and grab some figs before you have to wait a year to get them this plump and fresh again!

So welcome to Fresh Fridays! Are there any fruits or veggies you really want me to use during the course of these next months? I’m up for a challenge.

Fig & Frangipane Tart

Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 1-3 Tbsp ice cold water

For the Frangipane

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp European butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• zest from orange or tangelo

For the Topping

• 1 1/2 pints of fresh figs
• 2 Tbsp apricot preserves
• 1 Tbsp honey

Instructions

For the Shortcrust Pastry

• Place flour, salt and cold butter (sliced into tablespoon portions) into a food processor and pulse on low until small crumbs are formed
• Slowly drizzle in ice cold water 1 tbsp at a time until dough begins to come together, do not wait for it to form a ball, once it begins to form remove from processor and on a floured surface roll together and pat into a disc
• Wrap disc in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour to overnight
• Remove chilled dough, place on counter for 10-15 minutes so it’s easier to roll out. If it’s too cold it’ll crack easily. On a clean floured surface roll out until about two inches wider than width of tart pan
• Place dough in tart pan, gently tuck into all corners and up the sides of pan and trim most excess dough off. Allow an inch of dough above the pan in case the crust shrinks in the oven. Place in the fridge while you preheat the oven
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place tart pan with chilled crust in it on baking sheet
• Place foil or parchment paper in center of pan with pie weights (or dry beans) and par bake for 18-22 minutes, it should start to turn golden and not have a wet bottom
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, taking away foil and weights, leave oven on

For the Frangipane

• In a bowl of a stand up mixer with paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add in almond flour and salt, once it begins to clump up scrap down sides of bowl add in eggs one at a time
• Add in flour and zest and allow to just combine, scrape down sides of bowl as necessary
• Pour filling into cooling crust and spread out with spatula to create an even surface
• Bake for 30-33 minutes, until frangipane sets and is just starting to brown on top, if it seems to have set and is not brown on top, that is fine
• Allow to cool completely before topping with figs

To Finish

• Slice fresh figs, discarding the tops with stems, and starting from the outside, layer so edges overlap, work your way in
• Heat preserves and honey in small pot over low heat until it thins, whisk to make sure it combines
• Remove from heat and using a pastry brush, brush over figs to create a thin layer to seal fresh fruit.
• Chill in fridge or slice and serve immediately

P.S.

*European butter has less water content, and is better for the texture and taste of this filling

Pastry crust adapted from New York Times Cooking