Fig Tart
Ingredients
Directions
The fig is an incredibly luscious fruit, with a delicate aroma and sweet flavor. Originally from Asia, figs are now grown across California and the Mediterranean and there are hundreds of different varieties, categorized into four main colors: white, green, red, purple and black. Fresh figs are around from June through to early October. Go for plump figs that feel soft. At the peak of their ripeness they will have a faint bloom. This tart is made with freshly picked black mission figs (figue noire).
Make a day ahead.
Makes a 10''/25cm tart ring. Fluted tart pan can be used as well. Roll pastry out into a 3mm thick round, about an inch/2.5cm larger than the base of the mold. Prick pastry with a fork, and lay over the greased pan and shape. Trim off excess pastry and freeze. Blind bake for 15 minutes and set aside.
Soak gelatin in cold water to soften, and drain. Wash fig leaf and cut with a scissors and add to the first half of heavy cream (250g). Bring to a quick boil, cover, set aside and refrigerate overnight. Reheat the infused cream and sieve pressing down solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Scale out infused liquid and add more cream if needed. Bring back to a quick boil, and pour into the melted chocolate; blend. Add the soften gelatin and the remaining cold heavy cream. Blend well and refrigerate overnight before whipping. Use remaining filling for extra desserts such as verrine, cupcakes etc...
Beat room temperature butter with all the powders until smooth. Add the egg and beat until homogenized. Pipe out almond cream (use 250g per shell) and tuck cream with 200g fig pieces.
Preheat fan oven to 320ºF/160ºC or 350ºF/180ºC for conventional. Bake pie for 35 to 40 minutes. Right after baking, flip pie and let cool upside down to room temperature. After an hour or so, flip it back and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Spread red fruit preserve evenly and arrange fig wedges artfully into 7 rows starting from the center of the pie. Beat the chilled ganache montée to medium-soft peaks. Pipe out filling in between each fruit row. Decorate fig tart with mint leaves and a dash of lime zest. Enjoy!
