Brown Butter Fig Tartlets Recipes

ROASTED FIG TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the dough: Pulse flour, granulated sugar, salt, and egg yolk in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, gradually add ice water, and process until dough comes together. Divide in half, and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
• Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy. Beat in creme fraiche and confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.)
• Roast the figs: Preheat oven to 350. Combine port, anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, zest, granulated sugar, and honey in a roasting pan. Use the tip of a paring knife to scrape vanilla seeds into port mixture, then add pods. Add figs, and turn to coat. Roast, basting once, until figs are soft and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Let cool. (Figs and syrup can be refrigerated up to one week.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch fluted tartlet pan turned upside down as a guide, cut out 8 rounds. Fit dough into tartlet pans. Prick bottoms with a fork. Place shells on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Bake tartlet shells until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer molds to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each shell. Top with figs, and drizzle with syrup. Garnish with orange zest. (Tartlets can be refrigerated for up to one hour.) Remove molds and serve immediately.

WARM LOBSTER AND BRIE TARTLETS

Steps:

• 1. Over medium-high heat, saute shallots in butter for 2 minutes. Add lobster and tarragon, saute 2 minutes. Add Riesling and saute 2 minutes longer to cook lobster and evaporate most of the liquid from the pan. Set aside.
• 2. Flour a work surface and roll out the crust to flatten. Cut 3, 5-inch circles from each crust.
• 3. Spray the cups of a muffin pan with vegetable oil. Lay one pastry circle into each muffin cup, pressing the bottom flat to the bottom of the cup so it will sit flat after baking. Prick the bottom of each little cup and chill for 10 minutes.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake chilled tart shells 12 to 15 minutes until light gold. Remove and let cool before using (You can prepare to here up to 24 hours before using. Store in a cool, dry place).
• 5. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Fill each cup with a small chunk of Brie and 1/2 tsp. of lobster mixture, dust with almonds. Bake 7-8 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Serve.

ROASTED FIG TARTLETS

Steps:

• With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in crème fraîche and confectioners' sugar until smooth. (Filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine port, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, zest, granulated sugar, and honey in a roasting pan. Use the tip of a paring knife to scrape vanilla seeds into port mixture, then add pods. Add figs, and turn to coat. Roast, basting once, until figs are soft and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Let cool. (Figs and syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut out eight 5-inch rounds. Fit dough into 4-inch tartlet pans, and trim excess dough flush with rims. Pierce bottoms of shells all over with a fork. Place shells on a rimmed baking sheet; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake tartlet shells until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each crust. Top with figs, and drizzle with some syrup. Garnish with orange zest curls. Tartlets can be refrigerated up to 1 hour. Unmold, and serve immediately.

FIG TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Divide the pastry into 6 pieces. Roll out each piece to the thickness of a £1 coin and cut into a 11-12cm round, using a cutter or saucer as a guide. Place on the baking sheet and mark 1cm in from the edge, taking care not to cut right through the pastry. Fork over the pastry inside the marked line.
• Slice each fig and arrange, overlapping, inside the marked line of the tartlets. Brush with the butter and sprinkle with icing sugar. Can now be chilled for up to 5 hrs. Bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden on the edges.
• Warm the jelly in a small pan, brush over the tartlets, then dust with more icing sugar. Serve warm from the oven or at room temperature, with Pistachio ice cream (see 'Goes well with...') or crème fraîche.