A fig tart topped with an almond milk mousse.  You can find almond milk in health food shops.

 

For 6: Pastry: 125g plain flour 65g butter 20g caster sugar 35g chilled water 1 flan ring Ø20cm Filling: figs cut in half (12 large or 24 smalls) 1 tbsp chestnut honey ground ginger or grated lemon rind Mousse: 200g almond milk 200g whipping cream 80g icing sugar   4 leaves gelatine(8g) 1 tbsp kirsch Assembly: rhodoïd pastry crumbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 
  Put the cream and almond milk in the fridge.{mosimage}
• Making and blind baking the pastry base: Make a shortcrust pastry using the ingredients above.  Roll out on a sheet of baking parchment and place the sheet and pastry on a baking tray.  Take the flan ring and press down firmly onto the pastry, leaving it in place.  Prick the pastry with a fork to prevent it rising and cook for 20 mins.
• In a pan, sauté the fig halves in the honey over a high heat, 5 mins each side, turning halfway through the cooking. {mosimage}
  They should be lightly caramelised.  When they are done, leave them to cool.
• When the pastry base is done and has cooled, place the cellophane around the inside of the flan ring.  Arrange the figs on the base, packing them close together, and pour over any remaining juice.  Sprinkle with 2 pinches of ground ginger.
• Take the bits of pastry left outside the flan ring, crimble and set aside.
• Preparing the mousse:    Choose a tall rather than wide bowl of at least 1ltr capacity in which to whip the cream.  Place in the freezer for 10 mins.    Soak the gelatine in cold water. Heat 80gr of almond milk and melt the drained gelatine in it.
  Take the bowl out of the freezer, pour in the cream and the remaining120gr almond milk.  Whip till doubled in volume (5-10 mins).  Carefully fold in the icing sugar and melted gelatine mixture.
• Assembly  :  When the tart is cold, top with the almond mousse, levelling with a spatula.  Sprinkle over the pastry crumbs.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hrs for the mousse to set (no longer than 8hrs or the pastry will become soggy).
• To unmould, slip the tart onto a flat-bottomed dish on which you have laid a fig leaf.  Remove the flan ring and the cellophane.
• Bon appetit!

 

 

The tart can be made the previous day and the mousse added on the day you serve this dessert.

If you don’t possess a flan ring, use a cake tin.  Before spreading on the mousse, make a cellophane ring and put it between the tin and the pastry, stapling it to hold it in place. 

Make this tart in the autumn when figs and walnuts are in season.

 

Serves 6 : For pâte sablée: 200g flour 100g butter 30g sugar 1/2 lemon grated zest For the filling: 7 large fresh figs 2 tbsp of runny honey 30g of walnut pieces 2 tbsp sugar knobs of butter 1 flan tin 22cm diameter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 
  Preparation of the pastry: knead all the ingredients together for 3 to 5 minutes, either by hand or in a food processor using a pastry hook.  You should now have a block of pastry.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes, covered with a sheet of baking parchment.  
  
• Preheat the oven to 200° (th7). 
  
• Spread the pastry over a sheet of baking parchment, then press it into the flan tin without removing the parchment.
• Spread the honey over the base; open up the figs to form flower shapes and place them evenly on top.  Distribute the walnut pieces amongst the figs, sprinkle the sugar over the top , add knobs of butter and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  
  
• Serve warm or cold with fromage frais.   
• Bon appétit!

 

 

 

 

Alternative 
with whipping cream and serve as an accompaniment

 

 

This delicious tart will amaze your guests - just ask them to guess the mystery ingredient.

 

For a 28cm tart (6-8 people):   230g puff pastry 200g grape jelly 2 eggs (130g) 400g runny crème fraîche 1 tsp cornflour 50g caster sugar 1 flan tin ø28cm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. 
   Use ready bought pastry.  Take it out of the fridge.
2. Pre-heat oven to 190°
   
3. In a large bowl mix eggs and grape jelly together.
4. In another bowl, blend the cornflour with a little crème fraîche, then add with the remaining cream and the sugar to the egg mixture.  Mix well.
   
5. Roll out pastry on a sheet of baking parchment and place it, still in the paper, in the flan tin.  Pour in the filling and cook for 45mins.  
   The pastry will turn a pretty golden colour after 25 mins and you can then, depending on your oven, lower the temperature to 180°.
6. Wait at least an hour before serving.
   

 

 

 

Variation:  flavour with 1 tsp ground cardamom, which provides a good complement to the flavour of the grapes.

Choose the best apricots for this aromatic tart.

 

For 8 people: Shortcrust pastry: 250g pl flour 125g chilled butter 65g chillmed water 2 pinches of salt 1 flan tin 30cm diameter Filling: 20 à 22 apricots A few rosemary leaves 3 tbsp caster sugar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well
  
• Add the butter cut into small pieces and crumble into the flour till you have a semolina-like  consistency.
• Pour in the chilled water and mix quickly.
• Knead the dough, flattening and reforming it with the heel of your hand.  Repeat 3 or 4 times till it forms a smooth ball.
• Cover the dough with clingfilm to stop it drying out, and chill for 30mins.
• Preheat oven to 200°.
• Roll out pastry and use to line the buttered flan tin, pressing it firmly against the sides of the tin.
• Rinse and stone the apricots, and lay cut side up on the pastry base, packing them tightly together.  Arrange the rosemary leaves on top and underneath the apricots  (these will flavour the apricot juices) then sprinkle the caster sugar over the top.
• Cook the tart on the highest shelf of the oven for about 40 mins, and, depending on your oven, keeping an eye on it during the cooking.  Check whether the base is cooked by lifting it up with a fork.
• This tart can be eaten warm or cold.

 

 

 

Variation  :  Substitute pears for the apricots;  rosemary brings out the flavour in both these fruits.