Toasted Almond Basque Tart with California Figs

Yield
12 pieces, 10-inch round ring that is 2 to 3-inches tall
Source
Vanarin Kuch, Koffeteria, www.koffeteria.com

Ingredients

Dough

  • 520 grams All Purpose Flour
  • 400 grams Powdered Sugar
  • 10 grams Baking Powder
  • 500 grams Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
  • 100 grams Whole Eggs
  • 37 grams Egg Yolks

Toasted Almond Pastry Cream

  • 110 grams Almonds, sliced
  • 1000 grams Whole Milk
  • 3 grams Gelatin, powdered (optional)
  • 250 grams Sugar
  • 240 grams Egg yolks
  • 80 grams Corn Starch
  • 15 grams Butter

California Fig Jam

  • 300 grams California Fig Sugar (recipe below)
  • 300 grams Water
  • 250 grams California Dried Figs Paste
  • 727 grams Dr. Pepper
  • 2 each Lemons, zest and juiced
  • 20 grams California Dried Figs Juice Concentrate

California Fig Sugar

  • 200 grams Sugar
  • 100 grams California Dried Figs Powder

Directions

For the Dough

  1. Add flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder to the bowl of a mixer. Cut butter into dry ingredients in the mixer, using the paddle attachment. Mix for 2 minutes

  2. Add whole eggs and egg yolks and mix until a dough forms.

  3. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

For the Toasted Almond Pastry Cream

  1. Place almonds on a tray in oven. Toast for 10 minutes at 325°F.

  2. Heat milk in a saucepan. If using gelatin, dissolve in the warm milk. Add the toasted almonds. Set aside and infuse for 5 minutes.

  3. Strain almond milk and return it to the saucepan.

  4. Mix together sugar, eggs, and cornstarch. Add into toasted almond milk, and bring to a boil, whisking continuously, until thickened.

  5. When sauce has thickened, remove from heat and add the butter, stir to melt. Strain pastry cream and set aside in a bowl. Cover with plastic lid. Let cool before assembling the tart.

For the California Fig Jam

  1. Mix all ingredients in a pot. Bring ingredients to a low boil.

  2. Let simmer until fig paste softens, 10 mins.

  3. Blend everything together until smooth, set aside.

For the California Fig Sugar

  • Whisk together in a bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

    • Assembly and Baking

    1. Preheat a convection oven to 325°F.

    2. Roll out the dough to 1/3-inch thick. Stamp out two circles with a 10-inch ring mold (mold should be 2 to 3 inches tall). Reserve rest of dough for another project.

    3. Assemble on a half sheet pan with parchment. Line the bottom and sides of the inside of the ring mold with parchment.

    4. Place a dough circle inside the ring mold. Spread about 200 grams of California Fig Jam in an even layer on top of dough circle. Then spread 600 grams of pastry cream in an even layer on top of the jam. Lay the second dough circle on top.

    5. Brush egg wash (equal parts egg yolk to whole egg) on the top of the Basque dough.

    6. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. A tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

    7. Cool tart and refrigerate for 4 hours before removing tart from the mold and slicing to serve.

    Developer Notes

    1. Toasted Almond Pastry Cream recipe yields approximately 1,316 grams, 600 grams is used in tart. Two gelatin sheets, silver grade, can be substituted for powdered gelatin.

    2. California Fig Jam recipe yield is approximately 1,420 grams. Approximately 200 grams of jam is used in the tart. This recipe uses 2, 12-ounce cans of Dr. Pepper.

    3. Tart can be topped with the optional garnish of slivered almonds and white sugar before baking.