By Erin Scott
Figs are on my mind. A quick glance out our kitchen door and you see a massive fruit tree, our very happy fig. No matter how we trim it back, hack at it, attempt to tame its exuberance, the tree just grows, thrives and reaches for the sun. Early fall is its time of glory.
Our resident squirrel fights me for every fig that ripens on our tree. (I admit… I do a little cheer whenever I win the battle.) Needing so much fruit for these tarts, I didn’t have enough backyard figs on hand. Thankfully, Berkeley’s Monterey Market’s plenty came to my rescue with these delicious black mission beauties.
Today’s fig tartlets are not quite sweet and not quite savory, living in a delicious realm in between. The cream cheese and crunch of cornmeal in the crust tease out the earthy quality of the figs, and a drizzle of honey heightens the fruit’s juicy, natural sweetness. I’m always a fan of recipes that work any time of day and these tartlets are wonderful for breakfast, tea, an appetizer, or a not-too-sweet dessert.
INGREDIENTS makes 4 medium tartlets (I think each tartlet could feed two to four for dessert or tea, though I wolfed down an entire tartlet for breakfast one day. No problem.)
Note: Be sure to give your dough at least an hour to chill before assembling your tarts.
DOUGH: adapted from Annie Somerville’s recipe, via Janet Fletcher‘s lovely piece in Sunset Magazine’s August 2013 issue
- 1/4 cup masa harina or corn meal
- 1 cup all purpose flour {GF folks: as per usual, I use Pamela’s Bread Mix}
- generous pinch of sea salt
- 4 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 8 ounces cold cream cheese
TOPPINGS:
- 24 figs small-medium figs (1 1/4 pound)
- about 4 teaspoons honey
- about 4 teaspoons creamy goat cheese
- a dozen fresh thyme sprigs
Continue reading for the full recipe and more photos.
This recipe was first published on Yummy Supper, a blog written and photographed by Erin Scott. The blog has recently spawned Scott’s first book, Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious and Honest Recipes from a (Gluten-Free) Omnivore.
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