Fresh Fig and Toasted Hazelnut Spiced Shortbread Tart

How to make Fresh Fig and Toasted Hazelnut Spiced Shortbread Tart Recipe - Fresh 􀃅gs can be hard to and out of season so check their a􀁞ailability before you attempt to make this stunning tart. Trust me􀀢 they are worth the effort of waiting for and buying. The addition of Chinese 􀃅􀁞e spice brings an aniseed flavour to the shortbread base, but can easily be replaced with mixed spice if you don’t like it. Drizzled with runny honey this tart is simply beautiful.

MAKES A 16CM TART, SERVING 4 PEOPLE

SHORTBREAD DOUGH:
50g whole blanched hazelnuts
100g standard plain flour
75g butter, softened, in pieces
40g caster sugar
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 medium egg yolk

TOPPING:
150ml cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
6 figs, quartered
approximately 100ml liquid honey


Method:
Scatter hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast in a preheated 190°C oven for 6–7 minutes until golden, then leave to cool (you can now turn the oven off ). Grind up half the hazelnuts in a food processor, then roughly chop the rest.

To make the dough, mix flour, butter, sugar, Chinese five spice, egg yolk and ground hazelnuts in the food processor until combined. Tip dough out onto a floured surface and bring it together with your hands. Press dough flat, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 16cm-diameter circle and transfer it onto a baking paper-lined oven tray.

Bake in a preheated 190°C oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and leave until completely cold.

Whip cream, vanilla and icing sugar into stiff peaks and then pipe it on the shortcake base almost to the edge. Pile on figs and then sprinkle over chopped hazelnuts. Dust with extra icing sugar and drizzle with honey.

Fresh Fig and Toasted Hazelnut Spiced Shortbread Tart