The air is cooled. Blooming crepe myrtle trees brush together their branches with the help of the breeze. The scent of September swirls about and its promises of the coming autumn’s leaves leaves one to think, though a long Summer day is very nice, how the spices of cloves and ginger and cinnamon roasting on whatever is in the oven is a lovely thing indeed as the sunsets come earlier in the evening. The beginning of fall beckons Mother Nature to spoil us with her fruits, figs crowding out the past season’s peaches, begging to be whisked to the kitchen for eating raw or for topping dessert.

Though the art of baking pastry is more of a science as measurements tend to be a bit exact when it comes to flakey crusts and buttery doughs, the filling is up for creative whims. With a basket full of plump figs on the countertop waiting to be eaten, I decided to experiment with a fig tart that sports a fresh, not baked, filling. Greek yogurt and mascarpone flecked with vanilla and sweetened with honey is spooned over a just-cooled crust then topped with sliced figs and kept in the refrigerator until dessert is wanted.

This treat is best made before fig season passes us by and the plump fruit begins to disappear from the market shelves. If the figs you bring home are very firm, allow them to fully ripen on the countertop before topping this dessert. For extra sweetness, you can choose to add a quick drizzle of honey on top just before serving.

Sincerely, Adelle

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Fresh Fig Tart with Greek Yogurt and Vanilla Mascarpone Cream

Makes one round 10 1/4 inch tart

For the dough*:

• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed

• 1 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

*Alternatively, use your favorite pie dough recipe.

For the filling:

• 1 cup greek yogurt

• 1 cup mascarpone

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• Sliced fresh figs, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the dry ingredients for the dough in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter, the egg, and vanilla and pulse until it forms into a ball. Take out of the food processor and form into a disk, then wrap the dough in plastic and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

After chilling the dough, roll it out onto a floured piece of parchment. Roll the dough up onto a rolling pin, helping it along by lifting up the parchment, then roll the dough out over a buttered round 10 1/4 inch tart pan. Prick with a fork around the bottom of the crust and place into the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling. Whisk the greek yogurt, mascarpone, honey, and vanilla. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

After the dough has chilled for 15-20 minutes, place the tart crust into the oven, covered with parchment and pie weights to prevent the bottom from rising. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment. Return to the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges of the dough are just golden and the middle is dry to the touch.

Remove the tart pan from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding the filling. When cooled, spoon the greek yogurt and mascarpone mixture into the cooked tart crust. Chill the tart in the refrigerator for two hours or until the filling has set. Place fresh sliced figs on top and serve.

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Crème fraîche, a French soured cream with a velvety texture and the slightest bit of tang, combines with a few spoonfuls of honey and a couple eggs to create this delicious, simple tart filling with a buttery crust to hold it all together. I think it's sometimes the simply flavored, lightly sweetened treats that are best. 

A crème fraîche tart makes for a lovely transitional season dessert, meaning its ingredients can readily be found and whipped together during transitional times of year rather than relying on strictly seasonal produce. September is just beginning now and before autumn's cooler winds blow in with her bounty pumpkins and apples and treats spiced with cinnamon, I find a simple dessert with a creamy texture to be just the ticket.

If you happen to have some seasonal fruit on hand, this tart can also make a wonderful base for them. A handful or two of spring's strawberries or summer's blackberries are a welcome addition on top of the tart after it's been baked and cooled, and autumn's apples or winter's pears can be sliced and tossed on top of the filling then baked along with it, showered with a bit of powdered sugar at the end. If you like, you can trade the powdered sugar for a good drizzle of honey, or leave it off completely.

After whisking the filling ingredients together, be sure to let it sit on the countertop at room temperature to allow the honey to dissolve completely. Because of the addition of crème fraîche and eggs, which are likely cold from being kept in the refrigerator, the honey may have trouble dissolving immediately. A good 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature while the dough is chilling should do the trick.

Sincerely, Adelle

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Crème Fraîche Tart

Makes one round 10 1/4 inch tart

For the dough:

• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed

• 1 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

For the filling:

• 1 cup crème fraîche

• 2 eggs

• 4 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the dry ingredients for the dough in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter, the egg, and vanilla and pulse until it forms into a ball. Take out of the food processor and form into a disk, then wrap the dough in plastic and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

After chilling the dough, roll it out onto a floured piece of parchment. Roll the dough up onto a rolling pin, helping it along by lifting up the parchment, then roll the dough out over a buttered round 10 1/4 inch tart pan. Prick with a fork around the bottom of the crust and place into the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling. Whisk the crème fraîche, eggs, honey, and vanilla together until combined. Slowly whisk in the flour a bit at a time, making sure there are no clumps. Set aside at room temperature - this will help the honey dissolve completely.

After chilling for 15-20 minutes, place the tart dough into the oven, covered with parchment and pie weights to prevent the bottom from rising. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough is dry to the touch.

After baking, remove the parchment and pie weights, pour in the filling, and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling has set.

Remove the tart from the oven and cool on the countertop. When it reaches room temperature, dust the top of the tart with a bit of powdered sugar and serve. Store any remaining tart in the refrigerator.