Vegan Fig Tart
Making the most of peak fig season
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We are properly into fig season now and I couldn’t be happier! Here to guide me gently into autumn with their jammy texture and perfumed aroma. If you follow me on Instagram you’ve probably heard me profess my love for figs ad nauseam - suffice to say not only are they my favourite fruit but I’ve even managed to somehow pass this fig-loving gene onto my dog! We’ve spent a few summers in Tuscany with him and some of my most treasured memories are sitting down together eating figs straight from the trees in the garden. I’d split one open, half for him, half for me and if he heard any drop from a branch you bet he’ll be there in an instant to demolish it – he’s not very reciprocal when it comes to sharing…
A few weeks ago I postedthe recipe for my beloved fig leaf cake, all about the wonderful vanilla-esque flavour of the leaves, but now that figs are at their best I wanted to create an homage to the fruit itself. From the outset I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. To allow the figs to really shine I wanted to keep the other flavours and textures light and minimal, and I wanted to keep the fruit in their fresh state. With the advent of cooler temperatures I’m also very much back into the swing of baking and so a baked element was a must.
All of these cues pointed me organically in the direction of a tart. The base would be thin, crisp sweet pastry and I decided on a simple, silky smooth vanilla crème pâtissière (pastry cream) for the filling, all topped with a generous layer of fresh fig moons and finished with a shiny glaze for the perfect glossy sheen. For me this is one of the best ways to enjoy figs in a dessert. It’s beautiful and elegant but it’s also simple, allowing the figs to be the star of the show. Once you have the pastry down the rest is really easy to put together. It’s ideal as a striking dinner party centrepiece or enjoyed by the slice as a wholesome solo treat on the sofa – whatever you need it to be!
Note: if you just cannot bring yourself to make pastry you can make a cheat version by spooning some of the crème pat into a bowl, top with the figs and crumble your favourite biscuit on top as a stand-in for the pastry’s crunch.
The Recipe
Makes 1 x 20cm tart. Serves 6-8.
Tart Pastry:
165g plain flour
50g unsalted vegan butter (cubed and chilled, I used Flora plant butter block)
50g icing sugar
35g soy milk (or other plant milk)
1g salt (generous pinch)
Crème Pâtissière:
45g cornflour (cornstarch)
20g custard powder (check it’s vegan, although most are)
115g caster sugar
465g soy milk (or other plant milk)
60g vegan butter
1 vanilla pod (seeds) or 1tbsp vanilla paste
Fig Topping
6 large figs or 8 smaller ones
1 tbsp apricot jam
1 tsp water
Method
Make the crème pat first (I like to make mine the night before) as it will need at least 3 hours of chilling time. In a small bowl mix 100ml of the cold milk with the cornflour and custard powder until it forms a smooth lump-free mixture
Add the cornflour mix plus the remaining 365g of milk, sugar and vanilla to a pan over a low-medium heat and whisk continuously until it begins to thicken
Once it starts to thicken and bubble remove from the heat and whisk in your butter. Once smooth transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
When ready to use whisk up the mixture thoroughly until nice and smooth
To make the pastry combine the flour, sugar and salt in a medium sized bowl
Add the cubed and chilled butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until it all resembles breadcrumbs - try to work quickly here
Add the milk and gently knead until you form a dough but do not overwork the pastry! Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for about an hour
Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface until it’s about 3mm thick and it’s a couple of inches larger that the diameter of the the tart case
Transfer the pastry to your tart case and line it carefully making sure the pastry is flush up against the sides of the case. Trim any excess pastry with a sharp knife.
Chill your lined pastry in the fridge for 15 mins and preheat your oven to 170c fan.
Once chilled, dock your pastry evenly (ie using a fork poke holes into the pastry base to allow steam to escape) and bake. I like to bake mine with baking beans for the initial 15 mins and then remove them for the last 10-15 mins.
Your pastry is ready when it’s golden all over. Chill your cooked tart case on a cooling rack.
To assemble: once the tart case has cooled and the crème pat is whipped up post chilling you’re ready to assemble. Spoon your crème pat into the tart case all the way to the top. Slice your figs into neat moons and assemble then slightly overlapped all over the top.
In a cup add the apricot jam and water and microwave for 30 seconds. Use this loose jam mix and a pastry brush to gently and evenly glaze the figs.
Enjoy!
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