Fig and Mascarpone Tart

To prepare the fig and mascarpone tart, start with the shortcrust pastry. Place the flour in a food processor and add the cold butter cut into pieces 1. Also add the powdered sugar 2 and a pinch of salt 3, then run the processor until you get a sandy mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a floured surface 4 and create a well in the center. Then grate the lemon zest 5 and add the egg yolks 6.

Combine all the ingredients by hand 7 until you get a fairly smooth and homogeneous dough 8. Shape the dough, cover it with plastic wrap 9, and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour. To learn how to prepare and preserve shortcrust pastry, check out our Cooking School: Shortcrust pastry.

Meanwhile, prepare the mascarpone cream: first, soak the gelatin in a bowl filled with cold water for 10 minutes 10. After this time, squeeze the gelatin and dissolve it in 50 ml of warm cream 11. Now place the mascarpone in the bowl of a mixer or a mixing bowl to soften it with an electric mixer and blend it with the powdered sugar 12, remembering to set aside 2 tablespoons. Beat for just a few seconds with the whisks, otherwise, it may become too lumpy.

Whip the remaining cream with the two tablespoons of powdered sugar you set aside 13. Then combine the gelatin and cream with the mascarpone 14 and mix well. Grate the zest of a lemon 15.

Gently fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream 16 and add the grated lemon zest. Carefully mix to incorporate the ingredients, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it firm up in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour 17. Meanwhile, take the shortcrust pastry out of the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/2 inch 18.

Butter a 10-inch diameter tart pan with a brush and flour it (19-20). Then lift the rolled-out shortcrust pastry, rolling it over the rolling pin, and place it in the tart pan 21. Press it well into the pan with your hands.

Trim the excess pastry by pressing the rolling pin on the edges of the tart pan 22 and prick the bottom of the shortcrust pastry with the tines of a fork 23. Then proceed with blind baking: place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom and fill it with dry beans 24. Bake the pan in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 30 minutes, or if using a convection oven, bake at 320°F for 20 minutes. To learn more about blind baking, consult our Cooking School: how to blind bake.

Once baked, remove the shortcrust pastry from the oven, discard the parchment paper and dry beans, and bake again for 5 minutes at the same temperature 25, then remove it and let it cool completely. Once cooled, fill it with the mascarpone cream 26, which should now be firm, smoothing it with the back of a spoon 27.

Now prepare the garnish: carefully wash the figs and dry them with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Then place them on a cutting board and after cutting them in half 28, cut each half into three parts 29. Take a non-stick pan, arrange the fig wedges, and add the brown sugar 30. Cook the fig wedges over medium heat for 5-6 minutes.

Cook until they reach a soft and caramelized consistency 31, turning them very gently to avoid breaking them apart, and let them cool. At this point, decorate the tart by arranging the fig wedges in a radial pattern 32 and finishing with a handful of slivered almonds 33. Your fig and mascarpone tart is ready to serve and enjoy!