Ingredients
Prep: 20min
Cook: 25min
Serves 4
100g caster sugar
100g butter plus an extra knob
1 beaten egg
100g ground almonds
6 fresh figs
Flour for dusting
200g puff pastry
Icing sugar for dusting
300g crème fraîche
Method
Heat the oven to 425F/220C/gas mark 7. Beat together 100g butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually incorporate the egg, then the ground almonds, to make a thick paste. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pastry. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a 24cm (10in) circle. Smear a baking sheet with the knob of butter over and lay out the pastry. Prick all over with a fork. Spread a generous layer of almond paste over the pastry, leaving a 1cm border — you will have some left over. Quarter the figs lengthways and arrange attractively, cut-side up, over the paste.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the paste is swollen, set and golden and the pastry crisp. Dust the tart with icing sugar, slip on to a plate and serve with crème fraîche. Good hot, warm or cold.