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Fig Mascarpone Tart With Pistachio Black Pepper Crust

Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust by Baking The Goods
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust by Baking The Goods.
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Ok, I am willing to accept that summer is technically over and we are officially in the midst of another PSL-fueled fall season. Fine. Don't get me wrong, I find the brilliant colors of the changing leaves and the crisp air just as comforting as a hot cup of tea. But summer is my spirit season, and that will never change. Every fall, I feel that back to school anxiety begin to creep into my psyche despite the fact that I haven't been back to school in 10+ years. Between that and 13 years of dark and dreary Portland winters lasting from November and well into June, I always hesitate to embrace Fall with open wool-sleeved arms.

This year is different, though. Last month we relocated to the land of eternal summer, Santa Barbara, CA.  Since we've been here, it's been a nonstop shower of sunshine and optimal temperatures. The pristine beaches are as soft and powdery as powdered sugar and every sunset looks like a 70's painting.  I am still in shock that a place like this exists in real life and somehow we're lucky enough to call this idyllic utopia home.

Ingredients in this fig tart

Last week, a neighbor was selling homegrown Black Mission Figs from an honor bar style table in their front yard. After thinking up all kinds of fresh fig recipes, I decided to make a fig tart based on this seasonally transitional fruit. This Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust bridges the gap between hot summer nights and crisp autumn mornings. The light and tangy filling made of creamy mascarpone, Greek yogurt, honey and a touch of vanilla is complimented by a tart crust that gets its complexity from the incorporation of ground pistachio and a subtle punch of black pepper. When topped with freshly sliced figs, crunchy chopped pistachios and a delicate sweet drizzle of honey, this tart brings out the best early fall flavors without completely selling out to pumpkin spice.

Serve this fig tart with a really great bottle of red wine, and you might just forget about summer all together. We enjoyed this Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust with a bottle of Sonoma County Home Run Cuvée from Kale Wines and it was like winning the World Series of dessert and wine pairings.  If you're looking to treat yo-self, I highly suggest this combo. Not a bad way to bid summer adieu.

Pairing wine with the fig tart

Kale Sonoma County Home Run Cuvée with figs for Fig Mascarpone Tart
This Kale Sonoma County Home Run Cuvée! is such a perfect wine to pair with the tart.
Figs and Pistachios for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
This Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust is a flavor and texture explosion.
Pistachios for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
I want to dive right into this bowl of pistachios like a basic bitch wants to jump into a pile of crunchy fall leaves.
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust ingredients
Pistachios for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust uses local honey and fresh pistachios.

How to make fig tart dough

Making the crust for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
Grind the pistachios and ¼ cup of flour together in a food processor, the flour helps absorb the oils from the nuts and keeps them from becoming a paste when ground.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Dough
The Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust tart shell is basic and simple to make with a food processor.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Dough Disk
Once the dough is combined, shape it into an oblong disk, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Making mascarpone filling for the fig tart

Fig Mascarpone Tart Filling Ingredients
While the dough rests, prepare the mascarpone filling.
Fig Mascarpone Tart filling blended
Blend the mascarpone, Greek yogurt, honey and vanilla until smooth and velvety.

How to roll out and transfer the fig tart dough

rolling tart dough for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
Roll out the dough until about ¼" thick.
rolling tart dough for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust dough
Carefully transfer the dough into the tart pan. Don't worry if it cracks or breaks a little during the transfer, it is a very forgiving dough and can be easily repaired by patching the holes back together with a small bit of extra dough.
rolling tart dough for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust dough instructions
A perfect tart dough base is easy with these simple steps.

How to blind bake fig tart dough

Blind baking beans for rolling tart dough for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust dough
This tart requires blind baking the crust. Simply cover the dough filled pan with a sheet of aluminum foil and fill the pan with dry beans or pie weights.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Cooling
Thanks to the blind baking method, the shape of the shell remains in tact when baked.
Blind baking beans for rolling tart dough for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust - filling
Once the shell has completely cooled, fill with the tangy sweet mascarpone filling.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Remove
Then gently remove the tart by lifting the base and tart from the tart pan.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Set
Allow the filling to set in the fridge before you start beautifully topping this tart.

Topping the fig mascarpone tart

Fig Mascarpone Tart Fig Toppers
For a dramatic presentation, you can leave the figs whole and group them together on the tart, topping them with honey and chopped pistachio before serving.
Topping Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
I love the look of the deep hued whole figs floating on the blanket of creamy filling.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Cut
An alternative and easier way to serve this Fig Mascarpone Tart is to first cut the tart into 8-10 wedges before topping.

Cutting and serving fig mascarpone tart with pistachio black pepper crust

Figs for Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
Rich figs, crunchy pistachios and subtly sweet honey are ideal toppings for the creamy tart filling.
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust - honey drizzle
Top with quartered figs, chopped pistachios and a drizzle of your favorite honey.
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust - sliced
Fig Mascarpone Tart sliced up, topped and ready to be enjoyed with a full bodied wine.
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio and Black Pepper Crust
The textures and flavors of this Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust work so well together in this marriage of simple ingredients.
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust slices
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust wedges look so sweet from above.
Fig Mascarpone Tart Pistachio Black Pepper Crust
Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust, last pic...I swear.
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Recipe

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Fig Mascarpone Tart With Pistachio Black Pepper Crust

Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust

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Description

A subtly sweet and tangy tart made with a creamy mascarpone and Greek yogurt filling in a pistachio and black pepper shell; topped with fresh figs, crunchy pistachios and sweet honey.

Ingredients

Units

PISTACHIO BLACK PEPPER TART SHELL

  • 1 large egg yolk (- at room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons cream or half & half
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (- cold & cut into ¼" cubes)
  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar (- sifted)
  • ⅓ cup raw pistachios (- shelled)
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

MASCARPONE FILLING

  • 1 cup mascarpone (- at room temperature)
  • ⅔ cup Greek yogurt (- at room temperature)
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

TOPPINGS

  • 4-5 fresh figs
  • ¼ cup pistachios (- coarsely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

PISTACHIO BLACK PEPPER TART SHELL

  1. Whisk together the egg yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl, set aside.
  2. Combine the pistachios with ¼ cup of flour in a food processor, pulse until finely ground. *The flour will absorb the oils from the nuts and keep them from turning to a paste in the food processor.
  3. Add the remaining flour, powdered sugar, salt and black pepper. Pulse until fully combined.
  4. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the butter chunks are about the size of dimes. You want a rough texture with some floury butter chunks still visible as opposed to a smooth dough.
  5. While pulsing the dough, slowly add the liquid mixture just until the dough starts to come together into a ball.
  6. Remove from the food processor and combine the dough into a flattened and smooth oblong disk for a rectangular tart pan or a round disk for a round tart pan. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

MASCARPONE FILLING

  1. While the dough rests in the fridge, prepare the filling by blending the mascarpone, Greek yogurt, vanilla and ⅓ cup of honey until smooth. This can be done by hand or with a mixer.
  2. Once fully blended, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

BAKING & TOPPING THE TART

  1. After the dough has chilled in the fridge for at least 1 hour, remove from fridge and preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out in an oblong shape if using a rectangular tart pan or a round shape if using a round tart pan, until it is about ¼" thick.
  3. Carefully ease the dough into tart pan. If it cracks or breaks during the transfer process, use your fingers to pinch and press the dough back together to repair.
  4. Cut the excess dough off, leaving a 1-1 ½" overhang all the way around. Then fold the overhanging dough back inward creating a thicker edge all the way around. Run your rolling pin along the top edges of the tart pan trimming off the extra dough and creating a perfect tart edge (see image in post for reference).
  5. Line the tart dough with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges begin to turn a golden brown. Remove the foil filled with beans and bake the crust for another 5 minutes until the edges are a deep golden brown and the bottom is fully baked and golden.
  6. Allow the crust to cool completely, then fill with mascarpone filling. Smooth out the top with the back of a spatula. Then chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours allowing the filling to set up.
  7. Once the filling is set and doesn't jiggle anymore, slice into 8-10 wedges. Top sliced wedges with quartered figs, chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey.

Notes

*For this recipe you will need either a 14 x 41⁄2 x 1 inch oblong tart pan or a 91⁄2 x 1 inch round tart, with a removable bottom.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: tart

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  1. MILENA - The Life Harvest says

    Hi Becky!
    This tart is incredible! I have just posted a slightly adapted version of it on my blog. I will most certainly be making this again as the flavours and simplicity is superb! my family lovd it! Thanks so much for the inspiration. Cant wait to try more of your recipes.
    love, Milena
    x

    Reply

    • beckysue says

      Milena! Wow, this is beautiful! The raspberry and fig combination sounds divine, I am going to try your recipe as soon as possible. So in love with your blog and your gorgeous photos. Thanks for sharing and keep creating memories with food. <3

      Reply