I made this tart for a special person who requested it for her birthday. She was already familiar with its original version, which I had made before and she had the chance to taste.
This time, I made a few changes for a surprise: in the new version, I used thyme, which I had fresh in a pot on my kitchen windowsill, and it seemed like a delightful addition. For the syrup to pour over the frangipane, I used lime, during a period when I had developed such a deep affection for this green citrus that I would have poured its juice over anything. Finally, since I had some almond flakes sitting unused on the shelves, I thought this was the perfect occasion to put them to good use. It turned out to be a great idea, as they paired beautifully with the frangipane, which is also almond-based.
This time, I tried the tart both in a large version and in mini tartlets, which were also very successful. Overall, the feedback I received was enthusiastic and full of appreciation, which is why I’m happy to share the recipe with you as well.
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
125g room temperature butter, cut into cubes
80g powdered sugar
A pinch of salt
250g flour
2 egg yolks
Seeds from one vanilla pod
Grated lime zest
2 tablespoons liquid cream, 32% fat
For the frangipane:
250g raw almonds, finely ground in a food processor, or 250g almond flour
2 tablespoons wheat flour
250g unsalted butter
250g sugar
2 eggs
Seeds from one vanilla pod
1 tablespoon aromatic alcohol (Marsala, cognac, etc.)
For the syrup:
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
Grated lime zest
Juice of one lime
For decoration:
Grated lime zest
Thyme leaves
Toasted almond flakes
For the filling:
7-8 fresh figs (when in season) or preserved in a jar
DOUGH PREPARATION
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until a crumbly dough forms. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
FRANGIPANE CREAM PREPARATION:
Grind the almonds until you get a sandy flour, then mix with the two tablespoons of wheat flour. In a food processor, mix the butter with the sugar, then add the two eggs, the seeds from the vanilla pod, one tablespoon of Marsala, and the almond flour + wheat flour mixture. Mix again until you get a fragrant cream, then refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
BAKING THE DOUGH:
While the frangipane cream is in the fridge, take the dough out, roll it out, and place it in a tart pan greased with butter and dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Poke the dough in several places with a toothpick to prevent it from shrinking during baking, and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
SYRUP PREPARATION:
Once the dough is out of the oven, prepare the syrup. In a pot, bring 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, grated lime zest, and the juice from one lime to a boil. Stir gently until it forms a highly aromatic syrup.
BAKING THE TART & DECORATION
When the syrup is ready, remove it from the heat and let it rest while you take the frangipane cream out of the fridge. Fill the pre-baked tart shell with the almond cream. Place the fig slices in a circular pattern in the frangipane, then drizzle the lime syrup on top and sprinkle a few thyme leaves. Bake the tart for about 30 minutes, depending on your oven and how golden you want it to be.
The center should remain soft, while the edges should be firm and well-baked. As soon as the tart is out of the oven, decorate it with toasted almond flakes and a few more fresh thyme leaves. Let the tart cool completely before slicing and sharing with your loved ones. 😊
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