Roasted Figs with Rosemary and Mascarpone Tart

Ingredients

• Pate Sucree Crust:
• * 1/2 cup butter at room temp
• * 1/4 cup sugar
• * 1 cup flour
• * 1/2 tsp salt
• * 1 large egg yolk
• Filling:
• 8 ripe Figs, de-stemed and quartered
• 3tbsp brown sugar
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 230g marcarpone cheese
• 115g cream cheese or goat cheese
• 1/4 cup cream fraiche or yogurt
• 1tbsp sugar
• 2tbsp honey
• 1tsp rose essence
• 1 tbsp aged balsamic
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp crushed toasted pistachios

Method

1. To make the crust. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy for 3 minutes, using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, stopping on occasion to scrape down sides and bottom. Add the flour and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about one minute. Add the egg yolk and continue to mix on low speed until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour ( or up to 4 days).
2. Remove from refrigerator and let soften until pliable. With rolling pin flatten to 1/2 inch in desired shape. I used a 13 by 4 inch tart pan. A 10 inch round tart pan will work well too. Flour your work surface really well so dough does not stick, and sprinkle the top of dough with a little flour. Roll out dough, starting in middle and rolling outward, to a 1/4 inch thick disk or rectangle, depending on your tart pan.
3. Don’t worry if dough tears or crumbles, it’s easily pressed together in the tart pan. Lift over the rolling pin and place in tart pan with removable bottom. Patch holes or tears by pressing dough with fingers. Press dough into sides, corners and bottom. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the tart pin for a clean even edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes -this is important.
4. Bake at 170C for 25 -35 minutes, positioned in the center of the oven, until golden and delicious smelling. Let cool before filling and remove tart ring.
5. Make filling: Place halved figs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a generous amount of brown sugar and a few leaves of rosemary. Blow torch or grill just until sugar has caramelized, checking often as not to burn, about 5 minutes.
6. In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, whip mascarpone or cream cheese with goat cheese and sugar, until till creamy, scraping down sides. Add yogurt, rose esseance and honey. Beat until smooth. Fill cooled tart shell and top with figs. Refrigerate before serving.
7. Just before serving, drizzle the figs with aged balsamic and honey, crushed pistachios.
8. Heat oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5