Fig & Pistachio Frangipane Tart with Cinnamon Pastry
As some of you already know, I made the conscious decision (yes, I was sober) to move to the country recently. This was partly due to housing unaffordability in inner city Melbourne, partly because I like to do things differently, partly because Food Inc scared the living daylights out of me but mostly because my boyfriend and I decided we want to become more self-sustainable, have space and live where the air we breath is clean (even though sometimes it does smell like our septic tank).
One of the great surprises about moving into our new house, aside from the rat and spider infestation, was a glorious, mature fig tree. It’s an old tree that branches twist and stretch wildly, baring plump green figs. I waited some time for the fruit to mature, it was not until we had a few solid days of rain last month that the figs finally turned a deep purple and they were ripe for the picking. Of course the birds noticed before I did so a lot of the first figs were pecked and torn. I’ve now established a relationship with the local Magpies and we’ve agreed that the figs are all mine.
I love figs because they are one of the only fruits that blatantly refuses to grow except in season, on there on terms. It makes the fruit special and powerful, it has the upper hand over commercial agriculture, and not many other fruit and veg can say that for themselves. As the season is now drawing to a close, I’ve created a dish that pays homage to this beautiful ingredient and my humble tree. Enjoy the remainder of the fig season. x
The fig tree
Fig & Pistachio Frangipane Tart with Cinnamon Pastry
Ingredients
Fresh, ripe figs, sliced in half or in thick strips
Sprinkle of sugar
Cinnamon Short Crust Pastry:
25o g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 extra large free-range whole eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
500g plain flour, sifted
a pinch of cooking / table salt
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
Pistachio Frangipane:
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g pistachio meal / ground pistachio (See note below)
125g pure icing sugar
1 extra large free-range whole egg
1 extra large free-range egg yolk
1 tablespoon plain flour
Method:
Cinnamon Short Crust Pastry:
1. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add softened butter and mix on low speed until smooth.
2. Add the sugar to the butter and mix on low until just combined.
3. In separate bowl, combine eggs and vanilla extract and beat lightly, whilst still on low speed gradually add this to the butter mixture.
4. Sift flour into large mixing bowl, add salt and cinnamon and stir to combine. Turn off mixer then gradually to butter mixture and then mix on low until just combined. You don’t want to overwork the mixture as the pastry might become tough.
Smear pastry to remove butter lumps
5. Remove mixture from bowl and tip out onto clean work surface and smear the pastry onto the bench to ensure that there are no butter lumps then work the pastry into two flat discs. Wrap in cling wrap and allow to cool completely and rest in the fridge for an hour. Whilst the pastry is resting you can start on your frangipane.
Form pastry into flat discs before chilling
6. Once rested, remove from fridge and cut off a workable size that will be enough mixture to line your tart tin. Using a lightly floured rolling pin and work surface, slowly roll out the pastry, gradually work on this as the pastry heats up and becomes more malleable, but don’t allow it to heat up too much and become unmanageable. Roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick, it shouldn’t be too thin as the pastry will shrink and might break easily. Having a slightly thicker pastry is better.
Rolling out pastry
7. Spray tart tin with cooking oil or line with baking paper. Roll up the pastry on your rolling pin and then unroll over the tart tin. Press pastry gently into the tart tin and then use the rolling pin to trim the edges by running the rolling pin over the top of the tin.
8. Place tarts in the freezer until firm, approximately 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat fan-forced oven to 180 degrees.
Line tarts with foil then fill with rice
9. Remove tarts from freezer and then gently line with foil wrapping the foil over the edge of the tart tin and then fill with rice. Place on baking tray and blind bake for about 20 minutes. Pull edges of the foil up so you can see the tart and then blind bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove tarts from oven, remove rice and foil then continue to blind bake for a further 5 minutes to ensure the bottom of the shell is crisp.
Fill tarts with frangipane and figs
10. Fill tart with pistachio frangipane, top with figs, sprinkle with a little sugar and bake for about 10 – 15 minutes until frangipane puffs up and is slightly golden. Serve with thickened cream or marscapone.
Pistachio Frangipane
1. Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add softened butter and mix on low – medium speed until smooth.
2. Combine the pistachio meal and icing sugar in a bowl and then gradually add to butter until pale and fluffy.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk eggs together and then gradually add to the butter mix ensuring that each addition is incorporated before adding more. The mix should look smooth and creamy.
4. Remove from mixer and gently fold in sifted plain flour. It is now ready to use.
A note on pistachio meal: To make pistachio meal, take approx 200g shelled, unsalted pistachio and blitz in a high-powered blender until a powder forms and sieve to remove any large lumps. Alternatively you can use almond meal in this recipe.
Pistachios before …
… pistachio after!
