Preparation Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

Tart Shell

• 200 g plain/all-purpose flour
• 65 g icing sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 145 g very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk, broken up with a fork

Chocolate Ganache Filling

• 100 g good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 80 mL thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon fig jam

Mascarpone Filling

• 200 mL thickened cream
• 250 g mascarpone cream
• 1 teaspoon honey

Honey Roasted Figs

• 2 large, very ripe black figs
• 1 tablespoon honey
• icing sugar, to serve

METHOD

Tart Shell

1. In a mix master with a dough hook or a food processor, pulse the flour, icing sugar and salt a few times to just combine.
2. Add the cold butter pieces and continue pulsing to coarsely cut the butter, until the mixture is crumbly. Don’t worry if there are still small pieces of butter visible.
3. Gradually add the egg yolk, pulsing well between each addition. Once all the egg is added, process the mixture in 10 second bursts, until the dough starts to form clumps.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and kneed gently to ensure all dry ingredients are well incorporated. The dough will be soft and buttery, but should easily hold together.
5. Press the dough directly into a buttered tart tin, and cut off any overhanging remnants with a butter knife. Prick all over with a fork and press greased aluminium foil tightly against the dough before filling with rice, dried beans, or tart weights. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or until very firm.
6. Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F fan-forced, and bake the tart shell from frozen on a centred rack for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and, if the base of the shell has puffed up, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. Bake for another 8 minutes until just golden brown. Remove the shell from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
7. Leave the oven on for the figs!

Chocolate Ganache Filling

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream just to the boil, stirring constantly. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and pour the hot cream over the top. Cover with foil and leave for a few minutes.
2. Remove the foil, and stir through the fig jam until the ganache is smooth and all of the chocolate has melted.
3. Allow the ganache to cool slightly for a few minutes, before pouring it into the tart shell. Use a teaspoon to evenly spread it in a thin layer over the base. Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes, or until the ganache firm.

Mascarpone Filling

1. Whisk the cream on medium speed for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone and honey on medium speed for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Do not over-whisk the mascarpone, or it will separate.
2. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the cream through the mascarpone. Spoon the filling into the tart shell over the cooled ganache. Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes, while you prepare the figs.

Honey Roasted Figs

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/375°F fan-forced. Cut the figs into quarters lengthways, and place them cut-side up on a lined baking tray. Warm the honey until thin and runny, either in the microwave or over low heat in a saucepan.
2. Drizzle each fig generously with the warmed honey, then roast in the hot oven for 15 minutes, until the figs start to look caramelised.
3. Remove the figs from the oven, and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then, gently press the figs into the mascarpone cream along the length of the tart.
4. Dust the tart generously with icing sugar immediately before serving.

Store the tart covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Best served on the day of baking.