Ripe figs are summer’s sugar and they pair wonderfully with tart lemon in my recipe for Fresh Fig and Lemon Cream Tart. Using a refrigerated pie crust lets you save your energy for homemade, luscious lemon curd.
My plan was is to post only once a week. Quality over quantity, time is precious, and all that. But →→→ FRESH FIG AND LEMON CREAM TART.
Friends, I made this tart in July. I made the lemon cream and the tart shell and put those two together. Then I bought figs at my farmer’s market and then… I ate them all. Just… ate them all, one at a time. So I took a long walk to Whole Foods the next day in search of more beautiful figs.
I took all these beautiful Fig & Lemon Tart photos, but then I had no blog to share them on and I figured I would save them for next year. For a whole year! A whole year?! Yeah, right. I mean, this is a lot of photos for me to save for a YEAR.
Turns out, there is a late fig season. Figs are in season in June and then again in August and September and maybe just a teensy bit into October if we are crossing our fingers and praying to the fig gods.
I organized a farmer’s market for work — happening today — and I ordered demanded that figs be sold. At the time of publishing, the story’s still out on whether or not those figs turned up and what sort of shape they’re in. I’ll write in an update soon.
And if they’re in shape and you also happen to find some in shape fresh figs, first make a Fig and Mushroom Barbecue Pizza (uh, YUM) and then wash it down with Fresh Fig and Lemon Cream Tart.
Fresh Fig and Lemon Cream Tart
Ripe figs are summer's sugar and they pair wonderfully with tart lemon in my recipe for Fresh Fig and Lemon Cream Tart. Using a refrigerated pie crust lets you save your energy for homemade, luscious lemon curd.
Ingredients
- 1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust
- Juice from 5 lemons
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pint ripe figs sliced
Instructions
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Unroll the pie crust and press into a 9-inch tart pan. Cook crust according to package instructions.
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For the lemon cream filling, prepare a double boiler. Pour 2 inches of water into deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer. In a heat-safe bowl, combine lemon juice, whole eggs, egg, yolk, sugar, and salt. Place bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk until the mixture becomes very thick, about 10-12 minutes. You must whisk constantly or the sugar will cook the yolks!
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Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool on a wire rack, stirring gently from time to time to release the heat. While the mixture is still warm, use an immersion blender to blend the butter a few cubes at a time into the lemon curd. As you add more butter, the cream will start to turn into a pale yellow with take on a thick, opaque texture.immersion blender
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Once the butter has been fully incorporated, cover the surface of the lemon cream with a layer of plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving. It will continue to thicken as it chills.
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Once the lemon cream has chilled, spread it evenly into the prepared crust. Decorate with sliced figs and serve immediately.
Fig and lemon sounds like such a tasty combination. I love a good tart!
Thank you Kacie — Lemon ANYTHING is perfect for summer! 🙂
Cannot wait until figs season! This looks fantastic, I’m such a fan of figs! Yummy!
Me TOO. I can eat them by the carton. Can’t wait! 🙂
Oh my….first I LOVE lemon curd. I could just eat it by the spoonful. Fresh figs are so good. When I see them in the store I always buy them. Your pictures are awesome too. Sounds and looks delicious.
Thanks, Gloria. I love lemon curd too and yes — I can eat it like a pudding. I wish it were made of zero calorie things! 🙂 (But then I probably wouldn’t dig it as much, right?!)
Oh my gosh, your tart looks perfect, so professional I could happily buy it from an elegant patisserie shop! I love the combination of lemon with the figs, just so summery and fresh.
Thank you Kavita! I must say, my figs were the most perfect figs from Whole Foods, so they were beautiful to begin with!
I love the flavors you have, especially lemon! This sounds so yummy!!
Thanks, Deanna. You’ll have to try it and find out! (But spoiler alert — it WAS yummy!)
Wow – this is gorgeous! I love fresh figs and they are finally making an appearance here. And anything with lemon curd… I’m just such a fan.
This recipe is from last year, but I am PATIENTLY awaiting fig season to begin in Chicago!
This is stunning! Well worth the wait.
Thanks Lynne. I promise, it is!
Figs and lemon cream sound amazing!
I rarely see fresh figs here, but I’ve had them just often enough to know how delicious they are!
Where do you live that figs are in short supply? They are only in season in NC and here in IL too for a very short period of time. Once I see them, it’s all I’m eating until they’re gone!
This tart is literally a marriage between two of my hubby and my favorite things!
Sounds to me like you’ll have to make it for the hubs then (or he can make it for you)!
Wow, freshly squeezed lemons with figs will make this one delicious tart! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Fred! It’s definitely one of my favorite for mid-summer!
That’s an amazing combo, you had me at lemon curd! this looks so good I’m going to try this one out for the family!
Thanks, Derek! It’s definitely one the whole family can enjoy!
Is this recipe from the Tartine Cookbook?
Hi Ongeleigh – To write new recipes, I usually decide what flavors and textures I like together and then look at several different recipes to see what techniques to use. I actually didn’t know there is a similar recipe in Tartine — like, almost identical! I bet the lemon cream technique originated there, was used by someone else, and then I adapted it from that someone else. How is the one in Tartine? Have you made it?