Make it large
The Super flaky buckwheat crust
bakes beautifully from raw. All other
doughs will need you to lightly blind
bake the crust until just pale golden
before filling. I like a paler crust
bake so the filling merges without
a dark line between. Bake the crust
browner if you disagree with me.

• For a 24 cm (9½ in) round × 4 cm
(½ in) deep tart tin with a blind baked
crust, or raw dough if using the
Super flaky buckwheat crust
Make and then chill the frangipane
while the tart blind bakes and cools.

Smooth it into the crust, then top
with fruit – relaxedly recline or scatter
the fruit rather than creating intensely
structured geometric circles or
patterns. Just ensure that every slice
looks like it will get an even topping of
fruit. Place pinches of flaked almonds
into the fruitless gaps.

Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) and
preheat a heavy tray. Drop the heat
to 160°C (320°F) when the tart goes
in. Bake for 50–60 minutes, then
slide the tart onto a cooling rack
post-bake to allow any excess butter
to drain away. Cool for 30 minutes
before slicing.

Prep the figs by nicking the tip of the stem off each one. Cut the figs
into elongated quarters or sixths, keeping the slices separate so they
don’t smoosh.

Place the fig pieces on the tartlets, reclining them slightly so they look
like they are on an almondy batter beanbag. You may not use all the
fruit – be guided by how pleasingly you think the fruit covers the tart
tops. Pinch small fingerfuls of the flaked almonds and push them into
the frangipane around and alongside the figs.

To bake: preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) and place a heavy
baking tray inside. Melt the butter and drizzle over the top of the
tarts with a spoon or pastry brush, then sprinkle the raw sugar over
the top.

The sugar and butter form a fetching crisp gloss over the extremities of the
fig and the almonds.

Ready to bake! Slip the tartlets onto the preheated tray in the oven
and set the timer for 35–40 minutes. The top and crust sides will
look deeply golden tanned; even a little dark brown highlight is
lovely (and very French!). Lift up a centre fig to check the frangipane
texture below – it should look like baked cake underneath and not
liquid batter, although a teeny hint of gooeyness is okay (95°C/205°F
internal temperature).*

If you need reassurance about base cooked-ness, carefully invert one
tart into a tea towel (dish towel) and assess the base crust colour. Slip
the tart back in to continue baking if needed.** A LOT of butter will
come out of these – that’s okay!

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tins – if these are left
too long, the butter will cool and harden, fusing the crust to the tin.
If this happens, re-warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 10 minutes,
then remove.

continued …