Fresh Fig Tart

Rich molasses flavours pair with the floral taste of fresh figs in this elegant tart. If you don’t have a tart pan with a removable bottom,
use a regular 9-inch pie plate, rolling out the pastry to a 13-inch disc. Serve it in slim wedges on its own or with scoops of good- quality vanilla ice cream

MAKES: one 10-inch tart; 10 to 12 servings

PREP TIME: 25 minutes

CHILLING TIME 1 hour

STANDING TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: about 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 batch of Rich Pie Pastry

FIG FILLING RECIPE

• ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup golden corn syrup
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 10 to 12 medium fresh figs

GETTING A HEAD START

• Prepare and bake the tart shell up to 3 days ahead and store it, well wrapped, at room temperature.
• Prepare the filling the day you plan to serve the tart.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the rich pie pastry and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 14-inch disc. Place the pastry in a 10-inch tart pan with a removable base.
4. Starting from the centre of the pan, gently press the dough outward and up the sides of the pan. The finished pie crust should be about ¼ inch thick. Trim off any excess, and place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. For the fig filling, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, butter, vinegar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved completely.
6. Whisk in the eggs until well combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake the tart crust blind (see this page). Let cool completely. Turn down the oven temperature to 325ºF.
8. Trim the figs, then cut them vertically into thin slices (slightly less than ¼ inch thick). Working from the outside to the centre, arrange the fig slices, in a single layer, in the tart shell.
9. Whisk the filling mixture again to combine, then carefully pour it into the tart, filling it as full as possible without spilling over.
10. Bake until the filling has puffed up but still jiggles a little in the centre, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the tart cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the tart from the pan and slide onto a serving plate. Serve at room temperature or cold