Fig Frangipane Tart
from http://cook-snap-repeat.blogspot.com/

". . .one of our favourite desserts is pear frangipane tart. I make a few each year, right about this time. Yesterday we discovered that fresh figs work just as well as pears. Something about late summer/early fall welcomes this kind of dessert: cozier than summer's fruit tarts and lighter than autumn's pumpkin pies, a frangipane tart steps gracefully into the changing of the seasons."

Frangipane is a sweet almond-flavored custard used in a variety of ways including cakes and pastries.

For the pastry:
7.5 ounces (1½) cups all purpose flour
(or) 6.25 ounces (1¼ cups) all purpose flour + 1.5 ounces (¼ cup) ground almonds
½ cup confectioner's sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp cream or water (optional - the original recipe doesn't include this, but I find that it makes rolling easier)

For the filling:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 ounces finely ground almonds (if you are starting off with whole almonds and measuring by volume, you will need 1½ cups whole almonds)
5 ounces (⅔ cup) sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp dark rum
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

10 fresh figs (all together, mine weighed just under a pound)

For the pastry: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, almonds, if using, confectioner's sugar, and salt 5-10 times to combine. With the food processor bowl uncovered, scatter the butter over the flour mixture. Pulse until the butter is cut in. This shouldn't take too many 1-second pulses. You are aiming for pea-sized, flour-coated bits of butter.

Once again with the food processor bowl uncovered, pour the egg yolk and cream or water over the flour mixture. Pulse again, this time with longer pulses (about 5 seconds each), until the dough starts to form clumps. Do not let the dough come together into a large ball - this will overwork the dough and will result in a tough crust.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured working surface. At this point, you have two options:
1) Press the dough into a 9" or 9½" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (or 5 mini 4¾" tart pans), then freeze for at least 30 minutes (I aim for 1 hour).
OR:
2) Use your hands to very lightly gather all the pieces together into a ball. Wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or even overnight. After that rest period, roll out the dough, then lay it over a 9" or 9½" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (or 5 mini 4¾" tart pans). Freeze this rolled out crust for at least 30 minutes (I aim for 1 hour).

After the freezer rest time, partially bake the crust, covered lightly with aluminum foil, in a preheated 375ºF oven, on the middle rack. (Dorie Greenspan says that you do not need to use weights since the crust was frozen, and she is right.) It will take 20-25 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, but leave the oven on. Carefully remove the foil. The crust is now ready to be filled.

For the filling: While the crust is blind baking, prepare the filling.

Over medium heat, in a small saucepan, melt and cook the butter until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the rest of the filling ingredients, except the figs, in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter.

Spread the filling evenly over the tart shell(s), almost, but not quite, to the top. Do not overfill; otherwise it will overflow once you add the fruit.

Slice the figs lengthwise into quarters. Arrange the fig quarters, skin side down, over the filling, There is no need to push them in as they will slowly settle into the filling.

Bake (still at 375ºF) until the filling is firm to the touch and slightly golden. A 9" or 9½" tart will take 40-45 minutes. 4¾" tarts will take 30 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. To me, this tart tastes so much better after 24 hours. My husband loves it unconditionally.