Apple Fig Tart
Now that we’re into November, it’s time to switch things up. It’s time to put away the Halloween candy and spooky decor and pull out the festive lights and holiday cheer. That’s right it’s time for Thanksgiving prep.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve already got your guest list and you’re starting to prep your menu. There are the sides, the drinks, the turkey of course and most important the desserts. Sure, there’s pumpkin or apple pie, and we can’t forget about the chocolate. But whatever you decide to make, you definitely need to make something. Something that’s sweet and festive and the perfect way to end a meal. Not sure what to make or are so over pumpkin pie if you never see another, that would be totally okay? That’s why I’m here. For the next several weeks, leading all the way up to Christmas, I’ll be making and sharing pies. While most of them will be of the dessert variety, there will be the occasional savory pie because every so often, you need a little salt to go with your sweet. Granted those occasions are few and far between, but still, they’re needed.
I’m not starting with a pie today, though. No, today I’m starting with a tart. It’s full of fall flavors, and super easy to make. See, there’s no crust for this tart. Well, that’s not exactly true. There is a crust, but you don’t need to make it from scratch. The crust is made of puff pastry which means there’s one less step for you to make it. See, you can find puff pastry in the frozen food aisle, which means all you need to do is buy a box, thaw it out, unroll it, cover it with fruit and you’re done.
The fruit in this case is apples and figs. While figs are almost out of season there’s still a little time to grab a Mission fig or two, and that’s great because all you really need are a few. The real star of the show are the apples. Any apple will work from Pippins, to Honey Crisps to Macintoshes. It’s really all about what you like and what you want to serve. While you could pick one apple, I usually go with two or three. See, a variety of apples means a variety of flavor, and there’s nothing better in a pie or a tart than a ton of flavor. I usually go with Honey Crisps, Pink Ladies or Granny Smiths. They’re crisp, tart and the perfect way to usher in this dessert season.
Notes
Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine
Ingredients
- 1 roll of puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, halved and thinly sliced
- 4-5 Black Mission Figs
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup apricot jam, warmed
Instructions
- Roll out the puff pastry into a 9x13 square. Without going all the way through the dough, cut a line about 1/4-inch in from each side, this will be your border, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Place a piece of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet, and transfer the puff pastry to it.
- Mix together 2 tablespoons of sugar with the cardamom in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar/cardamom mixture. Then, without breaking the slices, toss until the apples are coated.
- Overlap and alternate the apples slices and fig slices in neat rows on top of the pastry all the way to the border. Dot with butter pieces.
- Bake until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender, about 40 minutes.
- Pull the tart from the oven, and brush with the warmed jam. Serve immediately.
