Preheat oven to 160C
500g sweet pastry (see recipe below)
750g frangipane
¼ cup good quality fig jam
10 ripe fresh figs, thinly sliced
Poached figs and fresh raspberries
to garnish
Raspberry vinegar caramel
to glaze and drizzle
Frangipane
1 cup caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, warmed to room temperature
2 cups almond meal
2 eggs
2 tbsp Tokay (topaque) wine
¼ cup plain flour
Method
1. Using an electric mixer, beat together caster sugar, butter and almond meal until pale and creamy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the tokay wine and mix well.
4. Add the flour and beat until just combined.
Raspberry Vinegar Caramel
1 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp water
½ cup raspberry cordial
4 tbsp raspberry vinegar
½ cup water
Method
1. In a medium heavy-based saucepan add the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.
2. Over a low heat, slowly dissolve the sugar and continue to cook until the sugar becomes golden in colour – effectively a caramel.
3. Deglaze the caramel by adding the raspberry cordial and raspberry vinegar to the the saucepan. Next add the half cup of water and allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes until the mixture becomes a slightly thickened syrup.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Poached Figs
500g ripe figs, halved
2 cups water
1 cups brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cinnamon quills
24 star anise
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
Method
1. Place all ingredients except the figs in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer, add figs and poach until soft.
3. Allow figs to cool in liquid to infuse flavours.
To Assemble Baked Fig Tart
1. Line a greased 25cm cake tin with sweet pastry.
2. Evenly coat the base of the tart shell with fig jam.
3. Spoon the frangipane mixture into the tart shell and smooth the top surface using a spatula.
4. Arrange thinly sliced fresh figs on top of the smoothed frangipane in circular pattern. Cover completely.
5. Fold over the upper sides of the pastry inward, towards the centre of the tart. There should be enough pastry to allow for a 2cm pastry trim.
6. Bake the tart for 40 minutes or until pastry is golden and frangipane is firm to touch.
7. Set aside and allow to cool before serving.
To Serve
Top the baked tart with a centre arrangement of poached fig halves and fresh raspberries. Glaze and drizzle the tart with raspberry vinegar caramel. Serve with cubes of vanilla bean marshmallow (see recipe here).
Sweet Pastry
Makes 500g
140g unsalted butter, cold, diced
100g icing sugar
Pinch salt
1 egg, lightly whisked
230g plain flour, sifted
20g corn flour
Method
1. Using an electric mixer, add butter and icing sugar and beat until lightly creamed.
2. Add pinch of salt.
3. While continuing to mix, slowly pour in the lightly whisked egg. The mixture should come together as a smooth mass.
4. Using a low speed setting, next carefully add the flour and cornflour. Mix briefly until a pastry dough is formed.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and use clean hands to shape it into smooth flattened balls.
6. Wrap the pastry dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before rolling out.
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