Fresh Fig Tart with Lavender Honey ~ this crisp galette with a jammy fig filling can go anywhere from breakfast and brunch to dessert. The homemade lavender infused honey is worth the price of admission.
Does your heart skip a beat when you see the first little containers of fresh figs arrive in the supermarket at the end of summer? Mine sure does. I leapt at these little Mission figs and immediately started dreaming about this dreamy fig tart.
I’m not sure why but I’ve been doing a lot of these hybrid recipes that are part brunch, part lunch, part dessert. They have a little bit of an delicious identity crisis. But that’s ok with me, because the keyword here is delicious.
ingredients for an easy fig tart
- ripe figs
- I used mission figs
- lavender leaves
- honey
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- butter
- salt
what is lavender honey?
And can we just talk a minute about the lavender honey? If you think you wouldn’t like it, keep an open mind…I was once a nay-sayer when it came to lavender as a flavor, but I’ve been won over…it adds just the merest hint of earthy floral to this fig tart. Leave it out if you must, but I encourage you to give it a try.
Lavender honey + honey that is gently heated and infused with fresh lavender. I make it just like I do my hot honey, and it’s amazing.
Ingredient spotlights: culinary grade lavender
Culinary lavender is grown specifically for eating and cooking, and your best bet is to buy it online. Lavender is an herb, and while all varieties are edible, some taste better than others. You don’t want to risk consuming any plant that has been treated with chemicals or pesticides, so always look for lavender that is labeled as ‘culinary grade’, or grow your own! Both the leaves and the buds can be used in recipes.
Black Mission figs
I bought Black Mission figs for this tart, they’re the dark ones. I think they have the best ‘figgy’ flavor, but you could use any variety for this recipe.
Note: Figs are not super sweet fruits, and so this tart is not super sweet either, in fact it straddles the line between sweet and savory in an intriguing way.
I’ve fallen in love with the easy pastry dough recipe used in this fig tart, and I’ve used it several times already in other recipes, it’s become my go-to. I love how easily it comes together and rolls out ~ a plus for us ‘pie crust challenged’ folks.
variations on a fig tart
- Make it with a layer of mascarpone or soft goat cheese spread over the crust before adding the figs.
- Make it with frangipane ~ see my recipe for peach frangipane galette above.
Fig Tart with Lavender Honey
Ingredients
butter crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut in cubes
- 4 Tbsp cold water, a touch more if necessary
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
- 1 tsp sugar, for sprinkling
filling
- approximately half pound fresh ripe figs, I used Mission figs
- fresh lavender leaves
- lavender honey, recipe below
lavender honey
- 1 cup honey, you will not need all this
- culinary grade lavender
Instructions
- To make the crust, put the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add the cold cubed butter and pulse about 25 times, until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Then, pulse again while drizzling in the cold water and then process briefly until the dough just comes together in one lump. If this doesn’t happen in about 15 seconds, add a touch more cold water. Turn out onto a floured surface and bring together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. (You can do this the day before if you like.)
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Slice the figs and set aside.
- Tear off a piece of parchment paper the size of your baking sheet and set the chilled disk of dough in the center. Using flour as needed to prevent sticking, roll the dough out to a 14 inch oval. If you experience sticking, top the dough with waxed paper or plastic wrap while you roll. Slide the parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet.
- Arrange the figs as snugly as you can across the dough, leaving a little edge free for folding up around the fruit. Add a few lavender leaves in and among the figs.
- Fold the edges gently over the fruit. Brush just the edge with a little melted butter and sprinkle the whole thing lightly with sugar.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Tent with foil if the crust seems to be getting too browned toward the end of baking. Note: make sure your oven is up to 400F before baking to insure a crisp crust.
- If your lavender leaves have gotten fried in the oven, replace with fresh. Just before serving drizzle the lavender honey over the tart.
- To make lavender honey, heat the honey in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir in the lavender and cover. Let sit for at least an hour, then strain.
Nutrition
this recipe worked amazingly for me! my mother and i decided to “customize” our honey tart by using fresh rosemary instead and placing dollops of goat cheese on top. it tasted heavenly and not to mention, looked very aesthetically pleasing beside a flute of orange juice 🙂
I’ve read the recipe a couple times and don’t see when you add the lavender honey. Before or after it bakes in the oven? My dough is ready and I’m looking forward to the fabulous combination of flavors. Thanks!
The lavender honey is drizzled on the tart before serving, in step 9. Hope you love it!
I’ve never had anything even remotely like this! It looks unbelievably beautiful.
Thanks Jeff!
This is the prettiest tart and I love the lavender honey!
I am so happy that fresh fig season is here too. The tart looks incredible, Sue.
This looks heavenly! And yes, I’m with you regarding figs, such a fleeting and ethereal treat!
This tart is dreamy Sue. I adore figs but can never get the beautiful fruits in the East. Your tart must be fantastic especially with that lavender honey.