RCP/Walnut Fig Tart

WALNUT-FIG TART
9 oz pkg Mission or Calimyrna Figs
1 c water
1/2 c light brown sugar
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1/3 c honey
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 c chopped walnuts
Pastry for 9" tart
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
4 Tbsp sugar

Snip stems off figs, place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently until figs are soft (about 30 minutes). Drain figs, reserving any liquid remaining in the pan (about 1/3 c needed). Add figs, reserved cooking liquid, butter, brown sugar and honey to food processor and puree. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg yolks and add to the fig mixture. Add walnuts. Line a 9" tart pan with pastry and smooth in the fig-walnut filling. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until it softly peaks. Sprinkle gradually with the sugar and continue beating until the whites are stiff but still has a creamy (not dry) texture. Spread or pipe the meringue on top of the tart, taking care that it completely covers the filling. Return the tart to the oven, and continue baking until the meringue is golden, about 12 minutes longer. Serves 8 to 12.

Jo Ann, that looks absolutely SENSATIONAL !! Great job ! :)

Sounds great and looks even better!

I'll have to talk my wife into making this.

Thank you Jo Ann for bringing this to the Buckner's and thanks for posting the recipe. Is that picture the same one you brought? I've archived this on my hard drive. Maybe over the holidays I'll give it a try.

[Jenise]

Gorgeous.

Thank you Jo Ann for bringing this to the Buckner's and thanks for posting the recipe. Is that picture the same one you brought? I've archived this on my hard drive. Maybe over the holidays I'll give it a try.

Yes, this is the very same tart. I took a picture before we dove in! If you will be preparing, I used the following pastry crust and baked it off (using pie weights) for 20 minutes first. then I filled and continued with the recipe. (I didn't use all the dough for the tart -- have about 1/3 of it left over). AS you know, the result was a tender, buttery, tasty crust, just dense enough to hold the filling. My preference is for the mission figs, because of their deep color and intense flavor; a great combination with a good honey. Good luck. Let me know how it turns out.

PERFECT PASTRY CRUST
2 C flour, divided
2 Tbsp sugar
1 C (2 sticks) butter, chilled, cut into ¼-in pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
Ice water

Place 1 c flour, sugar and salt into a food processor. Pulse the processor a few times to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse to combine thoroughly. When the butter has been thoroughly mixed in, add the remaining 1 c flour and pulse to combine. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, not to exceed ¼ c (4 Tbsp) water, pulsing between additions just until the dough starts to gather together and pull away from the bowl. Dough should feel smooth, not sticky. Remove the dough from the processor, pat to about a 7” disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before use. (If dough does not rest it will shrink as it bakes.) Remove the dough from refrigerator about 10 minutes before working it. Place the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll to fit the tart pan. Remove one layer of wrap. Flip the dough over the pan and press to fit into crevices. Roll pin over top of dough to cut on the edge of the pan. Remove plastic wrap and cover the dough with parchment and fill pan with pie weights. Place dough in a 350º pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment.

Thanks Jo Ann. It I were to use this recipe for a pie with a top crust would I double the recipe?

Thanks Jo Ann. It I were to use this recipe for a pie with a top crust would I double the recipe?

This recipe can be easily doubled. But, unless you are going to make a pie in a springform pan, I would make 1.5 times the recipe instead. Rather than a blanket top crust, I would suggest a lattice crust. I would also suggest increasing the cooking time to 45 to 50 minutes (not double). You can lighten up the filling by beating the egg whites (no more than 2) and folding them into the filling, after which you would fold in your walnuts. You will get the same taste, but a little lighter texture. However, the slightly fig-newtony density of the texture is one of the things I enjoy (along with the crunch and flavor of the walnuts). If you choose to lighten it up this way, make your lattice crust on a sheet of wax paper and plop it on the top of your pie. That way your filling won't deflate as you take time to construct your top crust. Also, if you do this, please send me a picture along with the details of what difference it made to the dessert. Thx.

Gorgeous.

And it's even more delicious than it looks.

Thank you, Jo Anne, for the recipe and for sharing this delectable dish with us at the Buckners. Diana asked me to print the recipe for her, which I have done.

Thank you, Jo Anne, for the recipe and for sharing this delectable dish with us at the Buckners. Diana asked me to print the recipe for her, which I have done.

If she makes any changes to the recipe, will you please share? One thing I really enjoy is tinkering with recipes. This one is not the original version, and it did not loose anything in the translation. Especially, if she decides to lighten it up with the beaten egg whites and use the lattice crust. I may try that myself at Thanksgiving. IF so, I'll let you know how it turned out. Thx.

Actually, I was thinking of the top crust in terms of an apple pie or something like that. When I make the recipe you posted, I won't change a thing. Thanks.