Serves a Crowd

Caramelized Fig Tart with Raspberries

by:
June 28, 2011
4.5
2 Ratings
Caramelized Fig Tart with Raspberries
  • Serves 6 to 10
Author Notes

I first ate a tart similar to this in Provence, but it could have come from anywhere in the world fresh figs are abundant. It's taken its place (right up there with Peach Cobbler) as one of our favorite summer treats. It's best at room temperature, so do make it ahead of time. —ChefJune

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 recipe Sweet Pastry (Use your favorite, or buy a prepared crust)
  • 1/3 cup seedless raspberry purée or preserves, thinned with 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar or Raspberry liqueur
  • 18-24 fresh figs, depending on their size -- I prefer the Black Mission figs, but the green ones are also delicious (Allow 4 whole figs per serving for each tart.)
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Confectioners sugar
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart shells with pie weights and bake completely. Cool.
  2. Rinse and dry fresh figs, and cut each one in half, lengthwise. Spread or brush a thin layer of the raspberry purée on each shell, then arrange in a single layer atop the raspberry purée, cut sides up. The fig halves should fill the tart shell without crowding. Sprinkle lightly with balsamic vinegar and powder thickly with sifted confectioners' sugar.
  3. Preheat broiler on highest setting. Place tart(s) on a rack about 2 inches below the flame of the preheated broiler for about 5 minutes, or just until the sugar has caramelized. DON'T BURN!!! Chill. Serve scattered with fresh raspberries and clouds of sweetened whipped cream.
  4. Teacher’s Tips: 1. Only fresh figs will work for this recipe. 2. The number of figs you’ll need will vary with their size, and whether you’re making one large or several smaller tarts. 3. When figs are ripe, they’re very delicate, so wash and dry them with care. Remove the stems before cutting them in half lengthwise.
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  • Jenya | BlueGalley
    Jenya | BlueGalley
  • drbabs
    drbabs
  • ChefJune
    ChefJune
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
ChefJune
30+ years a chef, educator, writer, consultant, "winie," travel guide/coordinator

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7 Reviews

Jenya |.
Jenya |. January 19, 2016
Oh my, this looks incredible! Can't wait to get my hands on some fresh figs :)
 
ChefJune
ChefJune January 19, 2016
Jenya, it's just about the easiest dessert you can imagine. I've even been known to use a pre-made pie crust!
 
drbabs
drbabs June 29, 2011
My grandmother had a fig tree in her backyard, and my father LOVED to sit in a chair next to the tree, pull off the ripe figs and eat them out of hand. Our family vacation is in two weeks, and if you can get fresh figs on the Florida panhandle in July, I'm going to make this for him.
 
ChefJune
ChefJune June 29, 2011
I hope you can, drbabs. He'll love it.
 
drbabs
drbabs July 12, 2011
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
 
ChefJune
ChefJune June 29, 2011
I have always used confectioners sugar for this recipe. Don't know why, especially, but the results are delicious. ;) Hope you like it.
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour June 28, 2011
This sounds lovely and delicious! I'm curious about the confectioner's sugar as I would've guessed granulated, and I'd love to learn more.