Warm Fig Tarts
I grew up in the French Rivera where fresh figs are in abundance. As a child, I remember picking figs from our tree when they were perfectly ripe, warmed by the sunlight, then devouring them immediately. That memory inspired these tarts - they are simple and delicious, and to me they taste like childhood. They could be served with homemade basil ice cream – a great way to use all the late summer basil in your garden.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients for Almond Cream
1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons almond flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Fig Tart
4 circles of puff pastry, 5 inches diameter and 1/4 inch thick
4 large fresh figs
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 egg
Garnish
Powdered sugar
Sliced almonds, toasted
Methode
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Make the almond cream: Combine the soft butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg yolk, almond flour and vanilla, and mix.
Assemble the fig tarts: Whisk the egg. Brush a thin layer of the “egg wash” on each puff pastry circle. Add a layer of almond cream in the center. Cut the fresh figs into 1/4 inch slices, then place them on top of the almond cream, leaving a clean area around the edge. Add some pieces of butter on top, then finish each tart with a sprinkle of brown sugar.
Bake the tarts: Bake the tarts in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the dough puffs around the figs, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the middle layers of the puffed pastry look dry and flaky on the outer edges. Lift each tarts with a spatula to make sure the bottoms are golden brown.
Serve: Garnish the plates with toasted almonds and powdered sugar, add the tarts and serve while warm.
"Dinner is Served. Bon Appetit!" — Chef Patrice Olivon
Serve Warm Fig Tarts at the conclusion of an autumn meal. Try Vegetable and Pesto Soup with French Baguette Crostini as an appetizer and Black Olive Crusted Cod as an entrée.
Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 269 Calories; 17g Fat (54.0% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 51mg Cholesterol; 92mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
From: Dinner is Served, a public television series
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For more information about Chef Patrice and Dinner is Served,
visit www.chefpatrice.tv