Mini Fig Tarte Tatin’s
If you’re a fan of reinvented classics, look no further. These Mini Fig Tarte Tatins offer a fresh take on a beloved dessert, swapping apples for figs to celebrate their seasonal glory. With figs at their peak right now, this recipe highlights their natural sweetness, perfectly balanced with rich caramel.
After meticulously reading through the pastry master’s (AKA Nicola Lamb) new book Sift and diligently tuning into her weekly Substack titled Kitchen Projects, I felt brave enough to skip the ready-to-roll pastry aisle and tackle it from scratch. If you have the time for the two-day process and the patience to understand pastry and its nuances, making it is incredibly rewarding. So, what’s the secret? Lamb argues it’s all about steam power. Through lamination, layers of butter are enclosed in a simple dough (the ‘detrempe’), creating distinct layers that puff up in the oven. As the butter melts, it enriches the pastry while steam lifts it, resulting in an ultra-flaky, crisp texture — aka puff pastry ‘goodness.’
These individual tarts are a luxurious addition to any dessert table, especially when served with a dollop of something tangy and creamy. And if you're short on time, don’t worry—store-bought puff pastry works great, giving you all the satisfaction with a fraction of the effort.
TIP: After making the caramel, it can start to set quickly, so pour it into the muffin tins immediately after taking it off the heat to ensure even distribution.
SWAP OUT: This involves adjusting the sugar. Most tatin recipes typically rely on golden caster sugar for their caramel. This recipe relies on golden and demerara sugars for a deeper and richer caramel flavour. However, using solely golden caster sugar will yield a lighter and more delicate taste.
SERVE WITH: What’s a tarte tatin without a dollop of something creamy? With tarts as caramelly as these, opting for something a little more tangy to cut through the richness can provide a nice contrast. A classic crème fraîche or Greek yogurt (as a healthier alternative) works well. If you simply can’t get enough of the sweetness, try a good-quality vanilla ice cream.
I N G R E D I E N T S
For the puff pastry:
200g strong bread flour
7g caster sugar
5g fine salt
45g unsalted butter, softened
85g water
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
160g unsalted butter, cold (for the butter block)
For the filling:
6 ripe figs, cut in half
50g demerara sugar
50g golden caster sugar
60g unsalted butter, softened
Optional pinch of cinnamon
For the assembly:
A dollop of something nice: crème fraîche, Greek yogurt, or ice cream.
M E T H O D
P U F F P A S T R Y:
Recipe from Nicola Lamb’s book ‘Sift’.
Day One
For the détrempe, put all your dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Breadcrumb the soft butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips. Create a well in the centre and slowly pour in the water and vinegar, bit by bit, mixing with a fork so you are combining the liquid/dry ingredients carefully.
Once combined, turn onto your work surface and squish together until combined - being careful not to overmix. Pat into a 15cm x 25cm rectangle and rest in the fridge, wrapped in clingfilm, for at least 2 hours until firm and cool.
Butter block:
Do not make your butter block until ready to laminate. The butter must be pliable, not greasy/smeary.
Make the butter block by cutting the fridge-cold butter into strips. Lay the strips out as a square on a piece of baking paper. Fold the paper around the butter in an 20cm x 25cm shape, leaving some extra room spare.
Using a rolling pin, bash the butter into shape. Once it is pliable, use a rolling motion to spread it into an even block. It will be pliable and bendy, but still cold when you’re done. It’s ready! (If it feels greasy, pop it into the freezer for a couple of minutes).
Locking in your butter:
To lock in your butter, roll your détrempe so it’s double the width of your butter block. Use your butter block to measure the size. You want the edges to be able to fold back over and cover the block completely.
When you are happy it is the right size, unwrap the butter and stick it in the middle of the dough. Bring the edges in and pinch it together in the middle. Your butter is now in!
Now turn your dough 90 degrees and press down on your dough several times decisively with your rolling pin - it should leave an imprint as well as helping to lengthen the dough and fuse the layers together. You’re ready to laminate.
Laminating: Nicola Lamb has great substack article on this process here.
There are different ways to laminate, I used the single turn (letter fold) method. It’s simple, beginner friendly, and good if you’re low on time.
Here, I completed 3 single turns and rested for 1-2 hours minimum between them each. Remember to turn your dough 90 degrees each time.
Day Two
Complete the final fold of the pastry.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to remove any creases.
Cut out 12 circles of puff pastry slightly larger than the muffin tin cavities. Refrigerate until needed.
T H E T A R T S:
Begin by pre-heating the the oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan). Set aside a 12 cup muffin tray and lightly grease each with some butter.
Wash the figs and cut them into halves or quarters depending on their size, I opted for halves. Set them aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine your demerara sugar, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter melts and the sugars dissolve into a smooth caramel sauce. The mixture should turn a light amber color. Keep a watchful eye on this, making sure the caramel is frequently stirred to avoid any burning.
This part is optional, but at this stage I added just a pinch of cinnamon to the caramel to enhance those autumnal flavours.
Remove the caramel from heat once smooth and combined.
Moving quickly, carefully spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the caramel mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup.
Place the fig halves or quarters, cut-side down, into the muffin cups on top of the caramel.
Lay a puff pastry circle on top of each tart, gently tucking the edges around the fruit.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed.
A S S E M B L Y:
Let the tarts cool for 5-10 minutes so the caramel can set slightly.
Carefully run a knife around the edges of each tart and invert them onto a plate, allowing the figs and caramel to be on top.
Enjoy warm and with your creamy topping of choice.
