Figgy Tart!

I don't care if it's August and that this is more like a fig tarte tatin. 

Sooo. . .

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Now! bring us some figgy pudding!

Now! bring us some figgy pudding!

Now! bring us some figgy pudding!

and bring it us here

For we all like figgy pudding
so bring some out here!

 

Lol. Anyway. I made a Figgy Tart! This was primarily inspired by the fact that we have a fig tree that is filled to the brim right now. All in all, I was so happy with the way this turned out. It was my first time attempting to bake anything upside down and then flipping it out of the pan, and it worked!. It basically tasted like a big Fig Newton. Lol. I got the recipe from this blog but I tweaked a few things. So without further ado, I give you the recipe and more pictures! Enjoy!

Here are my ingredients (minus the figs)

FIGS!

(OT: For some reason, I have a complete inability to say the words figs w/o impersonating Invader Zim)

RECIPE:
 

For the Figs:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups halved figs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbs orange zest

For the Pastry:

• 2 1/4 cups All Purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Baker's Sugar
• 3/4 cup + 1 tbs butter

 First preheat your oven to 400°F. Then melt the 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a small frying pan. Once it's bubbling cook over low/medium heat for about 5 minutes. You want a delicious golden brown caramel.

I think I may have let mine go too hot / too long. :(

Arrange the 2 cups of figs in a single layer on the pan. Cook for ten minutes, turning them over halfway through. The figs should retain their shape, but will have softened and released their juices.

Like these! 

Next, remove the figs to a 9 inch pie plate and arrange them in a single layer, cut-side down. Reduce the sauce to thicken. It should take 5 to 10 minutes. Then pour the sauce over the figs. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon and 1/2 tbs of the orange zest over the figs.

Yeah, I definitely let it get to dark. And yet, somehow not thick enough. Lol.

I looked at that and thought: "Dang. If that bog from Labyrinth had been in the movie Alien. . . it would have looked like that." Lol. But hey, it didn't tasted burnt (at least not that much) so it's all good. :) 

Anyway, on to the pastry! (I started doing this as the figs were cooking because the dough needs to refrigerate for a bit.) Mix the 2 1/4 cups of flour and 1/4 cup Baker's Sugar in a large bowl. Cut in 3/4 cups + 1 tbs of butter. You want the mixture to look crumbly. Stir in 1 beaten egg. Then roll out the dough into a circle larger than your pie plate so you can tuck in the sides. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. (I do this on wax paper so it's easier to move the dough around.) Lay the pastry over the figs and tuck it in. 

As I said before, my sauce wasn't thick enough so my tart crust immediately became engulfed in a caramel-fig moat. So I held it in place with my hand and tilted the plate to pour a good deal of sauce out. Lol.

Next place the tart in the oven and bake at 400° F for 15 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350° F and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until the pastry is nicely browned.

Like this!

Let your tart cool for about 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife and place a large plate over your tart. Pick up your tart and carefully invert it onto the plate. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and orange zest over the figs.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH:

I literally jumped for joy when this thing gently and flawlessly fell on to the plate. I was so excited but so nervous that it was just going to fall apart. Like, I made my mom stop watching the Olympics (and I think it was a final for an event and we won Gold, lol) to watch me do this. And it worked! :D 

I served it with a bit of  Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream and an orange slice!

It was so good. I was very happy with my decision to deviate from the recipe and add the cinnamon and orange elements. The figs shined but it just added a nice, little kick. I was also happy I did a crust that wasn't a flaky pastry dough. This was more like a giant sugar cookie, and it was amazing. Lol. I definitely want to make this again with different fruits.

   

I hope anyone who tries this recipe enjoys it as much as I did!

Thanks so much for reading!

- Christine Frankenstein