Fig Tart with Rosemary Cornmeal Crust and Honey-Blackberry Glaze

There’s something so satisfying about a tart with a golden, crisp crust and juicy ripe figs—especially when it’s baked just right. For the best results, I really recommend baking the crust in a convection oven using the convection mode. The airflow helps it cook evenly, resulting in a perfect color and crunch every time. If you don’t have a convection oven, no worries—just bake as usual and keep an eye on it near the end. No matter how you bake it, you’ll end up with something delicious to share with friends.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

1 Cup / 125 grams all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons fine-grain yellow cornmeal

½ cup / 115 grams unsalted butter at room temperature

⅓ Cup / 65 grams sugar

¼ teaspoon  sea salt

¼ pure vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Honey Blackberry Glaze

2 tablespoons honey

8 blackberries

Fig-Mascarpone Filling

¾ cup / 185 grams mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup / 60 grams creme fraiche

2 tablespoons organic sugar

1 lemon zest

¼ teaspoon organic sugar

¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 lb / 500 grams ripe figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise

PREPARATION

To make the crust, mix the flour and cornmeal together in a bowl. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla together on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat for another 30 seconds. Add the egg yolk and rosemary and mix just until combined. Scrape the bowl again. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until everything is moistened and the dough looks like crumble topping, about 15 seconds. If you squeeze a bit of the dough, it should hold together.

​Use a 9-inch / 23-cm tart pan with a removable bottom. Place a parchment paper on the removable part. With lightly floured hands, press the dough evenly into the pan, applying extra pressure where the sides meet the bottom. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.

​Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C in Convection Mode. Bake the tart shell until deep golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack. Carefully remove the tart shell from the pan and place it on a cake stand or serving plate.

To make the glaze, combine the honey and blackberries in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring and gently smashing the berries with a wooden spoon, until the berries have broken down and the syrupy mixture has thickened somewhat, about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small heatproof bowl, pushing on the berry solids with the back of the spoon. Let the glaze cool completely.

Once you have stemmed and halved the figs, place them on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Brush them with the glaze and grill for 5 minutes. Set them aside.

​To make the filling, combine the mascarpone, crème fraiche, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Gently spread the mascarpone evenly on the cooled tart shell and arrange the figs decoratively on top, cut sides up. Brush the figs with the syrup again.

​The tart can be prepared up to 3 hours before serving and stored uncovered at room temperature.

Serves 8 portions.

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