The Ultimate Fig & Almond Galette With A Homemade Almond Paste: A Sweet Treat You Won't Want to Miss!

If you're craving a dessert that stands out from the usual cakes and bakes, let me introduce you to this gorgeous Fig & Almond Galette. This dessert combines the earthy sweetness of figs with the creamy richness of almond paste, creating a harmony of flavours and textures that will make your taste buds sing for more.

Whether you’re hosting a family dinner, a cosy gathering with friends, or treating yourself, this tart is bound to impress.

Why Figs and Almonds?

Figs are not only visually attractive, their inherent sweetness and chewy texture provide a delightful contrast in baked products. When paired with almond paste, which have a sweet buttery flavour, the combination becomes truly irresistible. Together, they add a touch of elegance that elevates any dish.

Almond paste is essential for this tart. It adds a smooth, rich flavour that enhances your dessert. Making almond paste at home may seem challenging, but it’s surprisingly straightforward and yields an impressive result.

Fig & Almond Galette With A Homemade Almond Paste - The Recipe

The Almond Paste

Ingredients:

• 130g almond flour

• 50g Icing sugar

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• 1 egg white

• ½ teaspoon almond extract (use 1 teaspoon for more almond flavour)

Instructions

• Add almond flour, icing sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until evenly mixed.

• Add egg white and almond extract and pulse until a smooth paste forms. You will need to scrape the side and bottom of the food processor to ensure even mixing of all ingredients.

• Scrape the almond paste out and roll into a log using plastic wrap and set aside until ready to use. If preparing ahead, refrigerate, then when you are ready to use bring back to room temperature.

For the Galette

• 180g plain flour

• 2 tbsp sugar, plus 1 tbsp

• 1 lemon, zested

• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

• 140g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 3 tbsp ice water

• The prepared almond paste, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 80ml mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp honey

• 6 large or 12 small fresh figs, sliced, stems removed

• 60ml apricot jam

Method

Combine the flour, two tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add the water until moist clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for one hour.

In a clean food processor bowl, combine remaining sugar, almond paste, mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, and honey. Blend until smooth.

Position an oven rack in the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas mark 6.

On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into an 24-cm circle. Transfer the dough to a large, heavy baking sheet. Spread the almond filling over the dough, leaving a 5-cm border. Arrange the figs on top of the almond filling. Spoon the jam over the figs. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the crust loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough.

Bake the tart until the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the tart from the parchment. Transfer the tart to a platter and serve.