Fig Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Black Pepper Crust

Step 1

Whisk together the egg yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl, set aside.

Step 2

Combine the pistachios with 1/4 cup of flour in a food processor, pulse until finely ground. *The flour will absorb the oils from the nuts and keep them from turning to a paste in the food processor.

Step 3

Add the remaining flour, powdered sugar, salt and black pepper. Pulse until fully combined.

Step 4

Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the butter chunks are about the size of dimes. You want a rough texture with some floury butter chunks still visible as opposed to a smooth dough.

Step 5

While pulsing the dough, slowly add the liquid mixture just until the dough starts to come together into a ball.

Step 6

Remove from the food processor and combine the dough into a flattened and smooth oblong disk for a rectangular tart pan or a round disk for a round tart pan. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Step 7

While the dough rests in the fridge, prepare the filling by blending the mascarpone, Greek yogurt, vanilla and 1/3 cup of honey until smooth. This can be done by hand or with a mixer.

Step 8

Once fully blended, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Step 9

After the dough has chilled in the fridge for at least 1 hour, remove from fridge and preheat oven to 400° F.

Step 10

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out in an oblong shape if using a rectangular tart pan or a round shape if using a round tart pan, until it is about 1/4" thick.

Step 11

Carefully ease the dough into tart pan. If it cracks or breaks during the transfer process, use your fingers to pinch and press the dough back together to repair.

Step 12

Cut the excess dough off, leaving a 1-1 1/2" overhang all the way around. Then fold the overhanging dough back inward creating a thicker edge all the way around. Run your rolling pin along the top edges of the tart pan trimming off the extra dough and creating a perfect tart edge (see image in post for reference).

Step 13

Line the tart dough with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges begin to turn a golden brown. Remove the foil filled with beans and bake the crust for another 5 minutes until the edges are a deep golden brown and the bottom is fully baked and golden.

Step 14

Allow the crust to cool completely, then fill with mascarpone filling. Smooth out the top with the back of a spatula. Then chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours allowing the filling to set up.

Step 15

Once the filling is set and doesn't jiggle anymore, slice into 8-10 wedges. Top sliced wedges with quartered figs, chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey.