Three fig trees grow in my garden, including a green Kadota variety whose branches I can see from my dining room window. In five years, this tree has grown twice as big as the other two, and its fruit is sweet,
luxuriant, and plentiful, yielding one crop in late summer and another one, smaller and sweeter, in the fall.
This tart works with whatever fresh fruit is in season. I love it with summer raspberries, but in the fall, delicate and honeyed Kadota figs are perfect. If you can’t find them, Black Mission figs can be substituted. Accompany the tart with a slightly effervescent Moscato for a festive ending to a harvest lunch.
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 1½ cups (320 g) all-purpose plain flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp ice water
Filling
- 8 oz (225 g) mascarpone cheese
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) sour cream
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 Kadota figs, quartered lengthwise
- Honey for drizzling
How to Make It
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For the Pastry
- In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture begins to come together. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- To make the tart shell, remove the dough from refrigerator and allow to soften for a few minutes. Roll into an 11-in/28-cm round. Fit the dough into a 9-in/23-cm fluted tart pan/flan tin with a removable bottom, pressing the dough into the sides of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the pan to trim the dough flush with the rim. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and prick the pastry all over with a fork. Line the crust with parchment/baking paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until just golden. Transfer to a wire rack/cake cooler and let cool completely For the Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, sour cream, the ⅓ cup/75 ml honey, and the salt. Using a rubber spatula, spread the mascarpone mixture evenly in the crust. Arrange the figs in concentric circles on top of the mascarpone mixture. Drizzle with additional honey. Remove the sides of the pan and cut the tart into wedges to serve.