Celebrate fresh fig season with a beautiful Fig Tart that’s as delicious as it is impressive. Sweet, juicy figs are arranged over a rich filling and buttery pastry crust, then baked until the fruit is tender and the tart is beautifully golden.
If you love figs then also make our delicious Fig Jam or add them to a charcuterie board like our Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board. In Canada we have them in abundance in October for our Thanksgiving.
Fresh figs have a delicate sweetness with subtle honey and berry-like flavors. Their soft flesh is filled with tiny edible seeds that provide a pleasant, delicate crunch.
Why I Love This Recipe
- I adore figs
- Beautiful and elegant presentation
- Showcases fresh seasonal figs
- Sweet without being overly heavy
- Perfect for late summer and early fall
Helpful Items for This Recipe
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Wooden Rolling Pin, Beech Wood, 17.6″ Dough Roller for Baking
Tart Pan, 9 Inch Tart Pans, Non-Stick Removable Loose Bottom
Ingredients for a Fig Tart
Ingredients
For the Tart Shell
All-purpose flour – This is the best flour to use. Can I make it gluten-free? Yes! Just replace the flour in the crust with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. The almond filling is already gluten-free.
Unsalted butter – This has to be cold and cut into small cubes.
Powdered sugar – Also called icing sugar in Canada or confectioners sugar.
Salt – This is needed as you are using unsalted butter.
Large egg – The egg pulls everything together into a dough.
For the Filling
Fresh figs, preferably black figs – We have also used green figs, but the black are the best. Fresh figs spoil quickly due to their thin skins and high moisture content. They last only a few days, even when refrigerated. So buy the figs and plan to do the tart right away.
Almond flour – This adds flavor to the filling.
Granulated sugar – Sweetness to the filling.
Large eggs – This sets all the ingredients together when baked.
Heavy cream – This adds richness much more then milk.
Honey – This is optional but is lovely to use right before serving.
Powdered sugar – This is also optional but adds to the overall sweetness and presentation.
Substitutions
- Butter: Use coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy-free crust.
- Heavy cream: Swap with coconut cream, Greek yogurt, or half-and-half.
- Almond flour: Hazelnut flour or pistachio meal works beautifully for a different nutty note.
- Figs: Substitute with plums, pears, apricots, or even peaches — they all pair nicely with almond cream.
- Sugar: Try honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar for a deeper, more complex sweetness.
Variations
- Raspberry Fig Tart: Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the crust before adding the almond filling.
- Honey-Thyme Tart: Drizzle honey over the figs before baking and sprinkle with a few thyme leaves.
- Chocolate Almond Fig Tart: Mix a few tablespoons of melted dark chocolate into the almond cream for a richer twist.
- Rustic Galette Style: Skip the tart pan and fold the edges of the dough up around the figs for a country-style dessert.
How to Make a Fig Tart
Make the Shortcrust Pastry
Whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips (or use a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together—don’t overwork it.
Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Lightly flour your board and let the chilled dough sit for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan, about 11-12 inches in diameter.
Lift the dough round into the pan. Press the dough firmly into the edge of the tart pan.
Use the rolling pin or the heel of your hand to cut the extra dough from the edge of the tart pan. Chill until ready to use.
Prepare the Figs
Gently wash and pat dry the figs. Slice them into quarters or thick rounds, depending on your desired look.
Make the Almond Filling
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl until pale and slightly fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer.
Add the almond flour and heavy cream, then stir until smooth and creamy.
Pour the almond cream evenly over the crust.
Assemble and Bake
Arrange the fig slices neatly on top. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
Bake for 50–70 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is set. The cake should not jiggle in the center when you wiggle the sheet pan. If the cake gets too brown, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top. The timing will also depend on the size of figs you get, the larger the figs, the longer it will take to bake.
Remove the tart from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the outer ring from the tart pan. Slide the tart off the base of the tart pan onto a cake plate. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Dust with powdered sugar and/or drizzle with honey if desired.
Recipe Pro Tips
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is the secret to a tender, flaky crust. If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl beforehand.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Handle it just enough to bring it together — overmixing can make it tough.
- Use ripe figs. The sweeter and softer the figs, the better the flavor. If they’re underripe, drizzle them with a bit of honey before baking.
- Once baked, brushing the tart with warm honey makes it glossy and even more appealing.
- This recipe was developed using Bartlett pears, but Anjou or Packham (Autumn Bartlett) pears should also work well.
- You want the pears to be semi-ripe. If the pears are soft or overly ripe, they will turn soggy when baked.
- You can be creative with how you add the pears and almonds! While I like to keep the slices together in chunks, you can also create a flower pattern with the individual slices or even forgo a pattern and just spread the slices evenly across the top of the cake.
Storage
- Let the tart cool completely before storing.
- Keeps well at room temperature for up to one day, loosely covered.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- You can freeze it (ideally before baking) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
- To reheat, place the tart in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes — this revives the crust’s crispness without drying it out.
Substitutions
- Butter: Use coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy-free crust.
- Heavy cream: Swap with coconut cream, Greek yogurt, or half-and-half.
- Almond flour: Hazelnut flour or pistachio meal works beautifully for a different nutty note.
- Figs: Substitute with plums, pears, apricots, or even peaches — they all pair nicely with almond cream.
- Sugar: Try honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar for a deeper, more complex sweetness.
FAQs
Can I use dried figs?
Yes, but soak them first in warm water or orange juice for about 20 minutes to soften them. The texture won’t be as juicy as fresh figs, but the flavor will still be wonderful.
Can I make the tart ahead of time?
You can prepare the dough and filling a day in advance and assemble just before baking. The tart also reheats well the next day.
Do I need to remove the fig skin?
No — fig skin is entirely edible and adds both color and texture.
Can I make mini tarts instead of one big one?
Absolutely. Divide the dough and filling evenly into smaller tart pans or muffin tins and reduce the baking time to around 20–25 minutes.
WANT MORE TART RECIPES?
We love to make a pretty tart and here are a few more of our favorites.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Fig Tart Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tart Shell
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick cold, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
For the Filling
- 1 pound fresh figs about 12–14, , preferably black figs
- 1½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2-3 tbsp honey optional
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar optional
Instructions
Make the Shortcrust Pastry
- Whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
- Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips (or use a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together—don’t overwork it.
- Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Lightly flour your board and let the chilled dough sit for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan, about 11-12 inches in diameter.
- Lift the dough round into the pan. Press the dough firmly into the edge of the tart pan.
- Use the rolling pin or the heel of your hand to cut the extra dough from the edge of the tart pan. Chill until ready to use.
Prepare the Figs
- Gently wash and pat dry the figs. Slice them into quarters or thick rounds, depending on your desired look.
Make the Almond Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl until pale and slightly fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer.
- Add the almond flour and heavy cream, then stir until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the almond cream evenly over the crust.
Assemble and Bake
- Arrange the fig slices neatly on top. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 50–70 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is set. The cake should not jiggle in the center when you wiggle the sheet pan. If the cake gets too brown, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top. The timing will also depend on the size of figs you get, the larger the figs, the longer it will take to bake.
- Remove the tart from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the outer ring from the tart pan. Slide the tart off the base of the tart pan onto a cake plate. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
- Dust with powdered sugar and/or drizzle with honey if desired.
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