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Almond-Crusted Fig Tart: Crostata di Fichi Mandorlati

Mario Batali

Recipe copyright Mario Batali, 2002. All rights reserved.

Show: Molto MarioEpisode: Mandorlato

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (3)

  • Cook Time:

    40 min

  • Level:

    Intermediate

  • Yield:

    6 to 8 servings

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Times:

Prep
25 min
Inactive Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Total:
1 hr 35 min
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Directions

Crust:

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons aniseeds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more, as needed
  • 6 tablespoons very cold sweet butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
  • Butter, for tart tin

Filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon aniseeds, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  • 12 to 14 black or green figs
  • 12 to 14 whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Crust:

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almonds with the fennel and aniseeds, until course crumbs form. Add 1 cup flour, 6 tablespoons butter, sugar, and salt and pulse 10 to 12 times to create the texture of coarse crumbs. Add the egg mixture and pulse 8 to 10 times, just until the pastry begins to come together.

Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured board and form into a ball. Flatten the ball and press the dough into the tart pan, covering the bottom and sides. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Prick the surface of the pastry with a fork and bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until firm and pale gold. Cool thoroughly.

Filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, bay leaf, aniseeds, and fennel seeds over high heat and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and let the cream infuse and reduce by 1/3. Remove the pan from the flame, cover and set aside to cool. Whisk the cream, egg, and confectioners' sugar into a small bowl, blending carefully.

Starting at the base, slit each fig almost in half, leaving stem end intact. Stuff each fig with an almond, press the halves together, and stand each fig up in the pastry shell.

Pour the custard around the figs. Dust the top with brown sugar and bake for 25 minutes, or until the custard is set and the filling is dark gold. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan, and cool 20 minutes before serving.

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Read more Comments & Reviews (3)

Comments & Reviews

  • recipe Almond-Crusted Fig Tart: Crostata di Fichi Mandorlati
    Lynn Hebron, MD 08-30-2008

    Flag

    Delicate and Delicious!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    My grandfather has a fig tree and all the good recipes always seem to call for dried figs. This fresh fig recipe is beautiful... and the flavors were all so surprisingly pleasing together without being an over-powering, overly sweet dessert. Elegant, interesting and definitely one of my new favorites.Read more
  • recipe Almond-Crusted Fig Tart: Crostata di Fichi Mandorlati
    Barbara Chapel Hill, NC 02-02-2006

    Flag

    Fabulous!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I have made this recipe twice and it has been very well received. The second time I made it I did alter it just a bit by... toasting the almonds and lightly chopping them before putting them into the figs. For my personal preference,I marinated the figs in Amaretto for an hour. I basted each fig with the sauce rather than a random drizzle. The result was sublime!Read more
  • recipe Almond-Crusted Fig Tart: Crostata di Fichi Mandorlati
    LEAH Fallbrook, CA 10-27-2005

    Flag

    Disappointing results

    Rated: 2 stars out of 5
    The tart was not at all what I expected. For the amount of preparation involved, I was expecting a beautiful and delicious... dessert. The results were mediocre at best: crust was tough, custard bland, and the mission figs "bled" purple on top of the custard. Mario is one of my favs. Very disappointing.Read more
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