frenchfigtartvegetarianbakingfrangipanedessert

Tarte aux Figues

Name: Tarte aux Figues
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 90 g plain flour; 45 g cold unsalted butter, diced; 20 g icing sugar; 1 pinch fine salt; 1 egg yolk; 10 ml cold water; 40 g unsalted butter, softened; 40 g caster sugar; 40 g ground almonds; 1 egg; 5 g plain flour; 2 ml vanilla extract; 1 pinch fine salt; 4 medium (about 220 g) fresh figs; 20 g apricot jam; 10 ml water; 10 g flaked almonds

This small-format Tarte aux Figues has a crisp, buttery shortcrust filled with rich almond frangipane and topped with tender fresh figs. As it bakes, the figs lightly caramelise and their jammy sweetness sinks into the almond cream, creating an elegant, patisserie-style tart for two.

2 servings

795 kcal

French

Ingredients

Pate sucree

90 gplain flour
45 gcold unsalted butter, diced
20 gicing sugar
1 pinchfine salt
1egg yolk
10 mlcold water

Frangipane

40 gunsalted butter, softened
40 gcaster sugar
40 gground almonds
1egg
5 gplain flour
2 mlvanilla extract
1 pinchfine salt

Filling and finish

4 medium (about 220 g)fresh figs
20 gapricot jam
10 mlwater
10 gflaked almonds

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 190 C. Lightly grease a 16-18 cm tart tin. In a bowl, rub the cold butter into the flour, icing sugar, and salt until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg yolk and cold water, then bring it together quickly into a smooth dough without overworking it; this keeps the crust tender. Flatten into a disc.
2
Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick, line the tart tin, and trim the edges. Chill or freeze the lined shell for 10 minutes so it holds its shape in the oven.
3
Line the chilled tart shell with baking paper and baking weights or dry beans. Blind-bake for 12 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake 5 minutes more until the base looks dry and just lightly coloured.
4
While the shell bakes, make the frangipane. Beat the softened butter, caster sugar, ground almonds, flour, vanilla extract, and salt until creamy. Beat in the egg until fully incorporated and smooth. Do not whip too much air into it, or it can dome and crack excessively.
5
Trim the figs and cut them into 6-8 wedges each, depending on size. If very ripe, handle gently so they keep their shape.
6
Spread the frangipane evenly into the warm tart shell. Arrange the fig wedges on top in a tight overlapping pattern, cut side up. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
7
Bake the tart at 180 C for 22-25 minutes, until the frangipane is puffed, set in the centre, and golden around the edges. The figs should look softened but not collapsed.
8
Warm the apricot jam with the water until fluid, then brush lightly over the hot figs for shine. Let the tart rest for 10 minutes before unmoulding and serving; this helps the frangipane finish setting.

Nutrition per serving

795 kcal

Calories

13g

Protein

72g

Carbs

52g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the cleanest finish, use figs that are ripe but not bursting soft.
•If the tart edges brown too quickly, loosely shield them with a strip of foil during the final bake.
•Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, ideally with creme fraiche or lightly whipped cream if desired.
•A metal tart tin gives the crispest base, especially for a small-format tart.

Background

Fruit tarts are a classic part of French patisserie, where seasonal produce is often paired with pastry cream or frangipane in a crisp shell. Fig tarts are especially associated with late summer and early autumn, when fresh figs are at their peak in southern France. The combination of almonds and figs is traditional, echoing Provençal flavors.

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