Brown Butter Fig Tartlets Recipes

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a 5-inch-round flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for exactly 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• On a floured board, roll the dough to a rectangle a little larger than 10-by-14 inches. Wrap the dough around your rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared pan. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the dough to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Remove the stem of each fig and cut them in quarters through the stem (or in sixths, if the figs are very large.) Place the figs in rows on the dough. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the fruit starts to brown. Rotate the pan once during baking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The juices will burn in the pan but the tart (and the pan!) will be fine! When the tart's done, loosen it from the pan while it's still warm and transfer it to a board or clean piece of parchment paper.
• In a small pan, heat the apricot jelly with 2 tablespoons water and brush the fruit and pastry completely with the mixture. Allow to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the butter and dry ingredients form a coarse cornmeal consistency, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, combine the flour, sugar, and butter in a large bowl and, with your fingertips or pastry cutter, crumble into a coarse cornmeal consistency.
• Whisk the egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture; mix on low until large chunks form. Turn the dough onto a flat, clean work surface dusted with flour. Press the dough with the heel of your hand and gather the pieces together to bring the dough into a ball. Knead the dough a few more minutes, form it into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. This dough makes enough for two 10-inch tarts. (Note: The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Before using, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat and butter the inside of the tart ring. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut it in half; reserve one half for later use. Cut the dough into large chunks. Pound the dough with a rolling pin and then knead it a few times to temper the dough to the consistency of Play-Doh. Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and pound the dough into a large disc, about ¼-inch thick. Roll the dough out to at least 2 inches larger than the ring to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Place the tart ring on top and trim the dough so that 2 inches remain around it. (Discard or reuse the excess dough scraps as cookie dough, etc.) Brush off the extra flour from the dough. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and ease it into the tart ring. Dip the knuckle of your index finger in flour and press the dough into the crease with your knuckle so you have a straight edge, not sloping sides. Don''t stretch the dough to fit, because it will shrink during baking. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart ring to neatly cut off the excess dough; pull off the trimmed dough and discard. Place the tart shell in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.
• Custard: Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until smooth; then add the flour and whisk until thoroughly combined. Using a small, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the pulp and seeds and smear them on the butter. Add the butter, vanilla pulp and seeds, and vanilla bean to a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over high heat until the butter is brown and foamy. Continue cooking the butter until it is dark brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Pour the butter in a slow, steady stream into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Remove vanilla bean. (Note: The filling can be prepared up to 10 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Just before using, bring it to room temperature until it is a spreadable consistency.)
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350 F. Remove the prepared tart shell from the refrigerator. Spoon the filling about halfway up the tart and spread evenly. Sprinkle ½ cup berries on top of the custard. Bake the tart until the top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes if you are using an 8-inch ring or 45 minutes if you are using a 10-inch ring. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely, or for at least 2 hours.
• To make the topping, set a colander inside a bowl; place 1½ cups blueberries into a second bowl. Bring sugar syrup to a boil, then pour over berries. Toss gently with a spoon to coat the berries, then immediately drain into the colander. To remove the tart from the baking sheet, slip a cardboard round under the crust and carefully slide the tart onto it, leaving the ring in place. Slide the tart onto a serving plate and remove the cardboard and the ring. Pile the blueberries on top of the tart. Immediately before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.

Steps:

• Make the dough: Pulse flour, granulated sugar, salt, and egg yolk in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, gradually add ice water, and process until dough comes together. Divide in half, and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
• Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in creme fraiche and confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.)
• Roast the figs: Preheat oven to 350. Combine port, anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, zest, granulated sugar, and honey in a roasting pan. Use the tip of a paring knife to scrape vanilla seeds into port mixture, then add pods. Add figs, and turn to coat. Roast, basting once, until figs are soft and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Let cool. (Figs and syrup can be refrigerated up to one week.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch fluted tartlet pan turned upside down as a guide, cut out 8 rounds. Fit dough into tartlet pans. Prick bottoms with a fork. Place shells on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Bake tartlet shells until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer molds to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each shell. Top with figs, and drizzle with syrup. Garnish with orange zest. (Tartlets can be refrigerated for up to one hour.) Remove molds and serve immediately.

Steps:

• To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the eggs and the sugar and beat on high speed until the mixture triples in volume. Beat in the flour and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Meanwhile heat the butter over medium-high heat until it browns. Beat the brown butter into the batter, being sure to scrape all of the browned butter bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the batter rest for about 20 min.
• To assemble the tart: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry out until it is large enough to fill a 10-inch removable bottom tart mold. Line the tart mold with the dough then dock or poke the dough with a fork in several spots. Place parchment paper on top of the dough and fill with the beans. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Add the lemon zest to the brown butter batter. When the crust has cooled add the fruit and pour the brown butter batter over the top. Return to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. The top should be slightly souffled and the inside will be set but still moist. Allow to cool to room temperature. Mix the mascarpone cheese with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Dollop a spoonful of vanilla mascarpone on each slice of tart before serving.