I’m a little vague about figs. It’s one of the fruits I simple can’t decide whether I like or not; sometimes I think it’s a great fruit, and other times I just can’t stand the weird texture and taste.
These tartelettes were made in my liking-figs period, and are a great dessert for fig lovers. A cinnamon buttery crust filled with white chocolate and maple ganache, topped with Chantilly cream and lots of figs.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Fig, Maple and White Chocolate Tartelettes
6 tartelettes 12 cm long or eight 7cm round tartelettes
For cinnamon crust:
150 grams all-purpose flour
100 grams cold butter, cut into cubes
30 grams icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbsp. cold water (as needed)
For white chocolate and maple ganache:
200 grams white chocolate
45 ml. heavy cream
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/8 tsp. fine salt
For Chantilly cream:
125 ml. heavy cream
1 tsp. cream stabilizer or instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp. sugar powder
6-10 figs cut into quarters
Preparation:
- Cinnamon crust: in a food processor with a steel blade put flour, butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
- Add egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form. If the dough is not setting, gradually add a little water.
- Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 4-5 mm thick and cut out oval shapes large enough to line the baking molds. Line the tartelette molds. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
- Using a fork create holes in the crust of each tartelette. Freeze the tartelette crusts for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
- Blind baking: put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper over each tartelette and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes or until it is golden brown.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
- White chocolate and maple ganache: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl.
- Add heavy cream, maple syrup and salt and solvents together in the microwave or over double-boiler, until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Cool the ganache at room temperature for two hours or until it reaches paste consistency.
- Transfer the ganache into a pastry bag and fill the tartelettes’ crust up to 3/4 of its height.
- Cut the figs into quarters and arrange neatly on top of the ganache.
- Chantilly cream: in a bowl of a mixer whip cream, stabilizer and powdered sugar until you get a stable whipped cream.
- Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag with 1 cm round piping tip and drizzle small mounds in between the figs.
- Sprinkle some left-over crumbs of the crust and serve.
Notes:
- Keep the tartelettes in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, but they are at their best on the day or two after preparation.
- Instead of maple you can use honey or date syrup.
Photo: Natalie Levin