It’s only this year that I started to really like figs. Up until now I wasn’t sure what I thought about this fruit. Didn’t quite understand why people like it so much, and couldn’t care for it as much.
Recently I tried some figs at a friend’s house, and I finally got it. It’s a great fruit! It’s so juicy, cold and delicious and simply a great summer fruit. This is why I decided I need to make a cake with it!
This no-bake pie is perfect for hosting in these hot days. It only takes a few minutes to prepare, and the result is simply gorgeous. Marzipan and biscuits crust filled with mascarpone cream, all topped with a lot of fresh figs. YUM!
Photo: Natalie Levin
No-bake Fig and Marzipan Pie
24 cm round pie pan
For the crust:
100 grams raw marzipan
100 grams graham crackers or plain biscuits
50 grams melted butter
For mascarpone cream:
225 grams (1 pack) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
125 ml. (1/2 cup) cold whipping cream
50 grams (5 tbsp.) sugar powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For decoration:
500-600 grams fresh figs, cut into squares
Preparation:
- Crust: in a food processor with a steel blade grind marzipan and biscuits until a thin powder is obtained.
- Add melted butter and blend until you get a crumbly mixture.
- Grease the mold slightly.
- Transfer the crumbs into the cake and press it to the sides and bottom of the pan to form a crust.
- Freeze the crust for about 30 minutes to set.
- Mascarpone cream: in a mixer bowl, whip mascarpone, whipping cream, sugar powder and vanilla until you get a very firm and stable cream.
- Pour the cream onto the crust and flatten the top using a palate knife.
- Arrange quartets of figs densely at the top of the pie in the shape of a fan.
Notes:
- Keep the pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but it is at its best a day or two after the preparation.
- Instead of figs, you can use any other fruit you like.
- It is important to use mascarpone cheese at room temperature, but the whipping cream should be very cold in order for the mascarpone cream to set properly.
Photo: Natalie Levin