![\"fig:raspberry](\"https:\/\/www.skilletchronicles.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/figraspberry-tart.jpg\" "\\"fig:raspberry")
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For years, I avoided\u00a0 figs at all cost.\u00a0 My childhood memories of throwing rotten fruit that had fallen from the tree in my best friend’s yard tainted any thoughts of actually eating one.\u00a0 As far as I was concerned, figs were gushy, sticky and positively repulsive.<\/p>\n
Then, as an adult and a food writer at that, I felt compelled to at least try one of these fruits that so many others had described as utterly ambrosial.\u00a0 Plucked right off the tree, it was perfectly ripe and felt like a miniature water balloon in my hand.<\/p>\n
I was a convert at first bite.\u00a0 The flavor was mild and sweet as honey with faint undertones of vanilla.\u00a0 The pink inner flesh glowed like a jewel.\u00a0 It was silky and soft, all but melting in my mouth, and the seeds popped between my teeth like caviar.<\/p>\n
It’s amazing how much difference it makes to eat fruit in its time.<\/p>\n
Now I know why some people suggest the forbidden fruit Eve nibbled in the Garden of Eden really was a fig.\u00a0 Few fruits are as sensual.<\/p>\n
As irresistible as ripe figs are eaten out of hand, they lend themselves beautifully to cooking. \u00a0 Figs wrapped in prosciutto and grilled have become a fall classic on Bay Area restaurant menus.\u00a0 I particularly like them in this tart, where bright raspberries play counterpoint to luxuriously rich figs set against a background of custard spiked with cognac.\u00a0 The almond inflected crust is tender and flaky.<\/p>\n
Although it looks complicated, the dough comes together quickly in a food processor. And you can divide the work into steps, making the crust one day and the custard another.<\/p>\n
One trick I picked up from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Pie and Pastry Bible” <\/a>(Scribner, 1998) for transferring the rolled dough smoothly to the tart pan is to use an 8-inch cake pan.\u00a0 Turn the cake pan bottom up and drape the dough, still between sheets of plastic wrap, centered over the pan.\u00a0 Peel off the upper layer of plastic and invert the tart pan over the dough.\u00a0 Holding the cake pan and tart pan together, quickly flip them over.\u00a0 Ta da!\u00a0 The dough is is in the tart pan without tearing.\u00a0 Carefully remove the remaining layer of plastic and you’re ready to trim and chill.<\/p>\n When you’re picking the fruit, remember that ripe figs are not all beautiful from the outside.\u00a0 They tend to be a little wrinkly, maybe with a few splits on the sides.\u00a0 They should be soft and heavy and there may be a little drop of thick juice at the end.\u00a0\u00a0 Just avoid those with a sour smell or any signs of molding or bruising.<\/p>\n If your figs are still slightly under-ripe, you can soften them slightly by placing them on a plate on the kitchen counter, out of direct sun, for a day or so.\u00a0 Ripe fresh figs, though, should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator on a plate lined with paper towels. Eat within two or three days.<\/p>\n For tart:<\/strong> Make the crust:<\/strong> In the work bowl of a food processor, whirl together sliced almonds and powdered sugar until nuts are finely ground.\u00a0 Add flour and salt and pulse a couple of times until blended. Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour and nut mixture in processor.\u00a0 Whirl until butter pieces are the size of small peas.\u00a0 In a measuring cup, whisk together egg yolk and cream, reserving egg white for later use.\u00a0 With processor running, pour egg and cream mixture through feed tube and whirl just until the dough starts to come together in a ball.<\/p>\n Gather dough up in a large piece of plastic wrap, flatten ball into a disc, wrap tightly and refrigerate for \u00bd-1 hour.\u00a0 Dough should be firm but not rock hard before rolling. Sprinkle flour on both sides of the chilled dough and roll out between two pieces of plastic wrap into a 12-inch circle about 1\/8-inch thick.\u00a0 Transfer to fluted tart pan with removable bottom and trim excess dough to fit pan.\u00a0 Cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to refrigerator to chill at least one hour.\u00a0 (At this point, the crust can be wrapped tightly and frozen for baking at a later time. Crusts that have been frozen for at least six hours do not need to be weighted for baking as described in the next step.)<\/p>\n Preheat oven to 400 degrees.\u00a0\u00a0 Line the unbaked tart shell with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or a pound of dried beans.\u00a0\u00a0 Bake 15 minutes, until set and carefully lift out the paper and weights.\u00a0 Prick the bottom of the crust a few times with a fork and return crust to oven for 10-15 minutes more, until golden brown all over.\u00a0 Meanwhile, beat the reserved egg white in a small bowl with a tablespoon of water. Remove baked crust from oven and let cool for about 3 minutes on a wire rack.\u00a0 Brush a thin layer of the beaten egg white over the bottom to seal the crust against moisture.\u00a0 Let cool completely before you prepare the filling.<\/p>\n Make the filling:<\/strong> Place tart pan on a baking sheet.\u00a0 Rinse and gently pat dry the figs and raspberries.\u00a0 Remove stems from figs and slice in half lengthwise.\u00a0 Arrange in a decorative pattern in the tart shell.\u00a0 Fill between the figs with raspberries.\u00a0 In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, cognac and salt.\u00a0 Pour this mixture over the fruit in the shell.\u00a0 (Note:\u00a0 Depending on the size of the tart, you may end up with leftover custard.\u00a0 Just pour it into a buttered, heatproof cup and bake alongside the tart.)<\/p>\n Bake for about 30 minutes, until the custard puffs up and begins to brown.\u00a0 You may need to cover the edges of the crust with strips of aluminum foil to protect against burning.<\/p>\n Let cool and serve.<\/p>\n Aleta Watson<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For years, I avoided\u00a0 figs at all cost.\u00a0 My childhood memories of throwing rotten fruit that had fallen from the tree in my best friend’s yard tainted any thoughts of actually eating one.\u00a0 As far as I was concerned, figs were gushy, sticky and positively repulsive. Then, as an adult and a food writer at … Continue reading Figs and raspberries, a perfect match<\/span> ![\"Kadota](\"https:\/\/www.skilletchronicles.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/Kadota-figs.jpg\" "\\"Kadota")
I used the green-skinned Kadota figs now in season for this tart, but you’ll probably find black Mission figs in the market, too. Brown Turkey figs could be available into November if the weather stays warm.\u00a0 We Californians are lucky that most of the U.S. crop is grown within the Golden State.<\/p>\nFIG AND RASPBERRY TART WITH ALMOND CRUST<\/strong>
\nMakes one 9 \u00bd -inch or 10-inch tart<\/em>
\nFor crust:<\/strong>
\n\u00bc cup sliced almonds
\n\u00bc cup powdered sugar
\n1 cup all-purpose flour
\nPinch salt
\n6 tablespoons unsalted butter
\n1 extra-large egg, separated
\n1 tablespoon heavy cream<\/p>\n
\n8-10 medium fresh figs
\nAbout \u00bd cup raspberries
\n2 eggs
\n1 cup heavy cream
\n\u00bc cup granulated sugar
\n1 teaspoon vanilla
\n1 tablespoon cognac
\nPinch of salt<\/p>\n