Fig and Vanilla Cream Tart

 

Borrowed from:

https://www.threelittlehalves.com/2023/07/fig-and-vanilla-cream-tart.html

for the crust:

180 grams raw skin-on almonds
125 grams white rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
110 grams granulated sugar
100 grams softened butter

for the filling:

4 - 5 tablespoons fig jam

for the custard:

420 milliliters (1 3/4 cup) whole milk
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
115 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla powder, I use Nielsen Massey)
1/4 tsp salt

for fruit topping and to serve:

6 - 8 ripe figs, halved (plus more for serving)
whipped cream
other fruits, toasted almond slices, or pistachios (optional)

Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection). Roast the almonds for 10 to 15 minutes. Let the almonds cool before grounding.

In a food processor, grind the almonds with half the rice flour. Add the salt and the remaining rice flour and pulse several times to fully combine.

Using a mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and almost white. Add the almond mixture and combine until dough comes together. 

Press the dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan; use about two thirds of the dough for the bottom and about one third for the side. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork. Chill for at least two hours or overnight. (You can also freeze, covered in plastic, for about a week.)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Cover the dough with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill the dough to the top with pie weights. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the weights and the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until the shell is golden. Let the shell cool completely before filling. Total baking time should be about 25 minutes, or about 5 minutes more if you want a deeper flavor and more crunchy bite.

Prepare the custard.  In a small saucepan combine the milk, vanilla bean, and seeds and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. Uncover and remove vanilla bean. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and fluffy. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it has thickened, and the mixture is about to approach low boil, it will take about 6 to 7 minutes. Once the mixture comes to a low boil, continue to cook and whisk for another one to two minutes. (This will deactivate amylase, starch-dissolving enzyme that exists in egg yolks.) Remove the custard from the heat. Add the butter and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap (it should touch the cream surface to prevent crust from forming). Let cool on the counter for about 45 minutes, until the custard is close to room temperature and is still slightly runny.

Assemble the tart: Spread a thin layer of the fig jam over the base of the tart. Whisk the pastry cream and pour it into the tart shell. Use a small spatula to spread and flatten the pastry cream. Cover the tart with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, to allow the pastry cream to fully set.

When ready to serve remove the tart from the fridge. Top with fig halves in a pattern of your choice. Garnish with other fruits, nuts, and/or white chocolate pearls. I like to throw in a herb sprig or two, as it really takes me back to Greece... Serve with more figs and whipped cream on the side.