Fig and frangipane tarts recipe
Sweet and almondy tartlets that'll transport you right to a French patisserie.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry- 170 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp ice-cold water
- 100 g butter, at room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 0.5 tsp almond extract
- 100 g ground almonds
- 9 figs, quartered
- 1 tbsp flaked almonds
- 1 tsp icing sugar
- 6 tbsp crème fraîche
Details
- Cuisine: French
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- For the pastry, put the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Transfer to a bowl and add the egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of cold water to make a smooth but not sticky dough. Add the extra tablespoon of water if required.
- Put the dough on a floured work surface, roll it out and line 6 loose-bottomed 10–12cm (4–4.7in) tartlet tins. Chill for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Line each tin with a circle of baking parchment or foil, add baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then put the tins back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
- While the pastry cases are cooking make the frangipane. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until you have a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the eggs and almond extract, then stir in the ground almonds and mix well.
- Divide the mixture between the pastry cases and arrange 6 fig wedges on top of each tart. Scatter with some of the flaked almonds and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.
- Dust with a little icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with some crème fraîche.
This recipe is extracted from Rick Stein’s Secret France (BBC Books, £26). Photography by James Murphy.
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