Fig And Apple Phyllo Tart Recipes

FRENCH FIG TARTS

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a 5-inch-round flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for exactly 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• On a floured board, roll the dough to a rectangle a little larger than 10-by-14 inches. Wrap the dough around your rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared pan. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the dough to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Remove the stem of each fig and cut them in quarters through the stem (or in sixths, if the figs are very large.) Place the figs in rows on the dough. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the fruit starts to brown. Rotate the pan once during baking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The juices will burn in the pan but the tart (and the pan!) will be fine! When the tart's done, loosen it from the pan while it's still warm and transfer it to a board or clean piece of parchment paper.
• In a small pan, heat the apricot jelly with 2 tablespoons water and brush the fruit and pastry completely with the mixture. Allow to cool, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature.

CARAMELIZED APPLES IN PHYLLO TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a work surface,stack the phyllo sheets and cut out four 7-inch squares (12 total), discarding the scraps. Stack the squares between 2 sheets of wax paper and cover with a kitchen towel.
• Spray the countertop and 4 individual ring molds with nonstick cooking spray. Lay a square of phyllo on the counter and sprinkle with some of the 2 teaspoons of sugar; lay a second square on top, brush with the melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Cover with a third layer and sprinkle with sugar.
• Work the phyllo into the ring mold as you would a handkerchief into a pocket, letting the edges overhang. Repeat with the remaining phyllo. Place the molds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully transfer the phyllo shells to a rack.
• Combine the apples, lemon juice, and apple juice and set aside. In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and caramelize for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat, add the Cognac, and stir with a wooden spoon. Return the pan to the heat, add the spices and apple mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Divide the apples among the shells and sprinkle with crystallized ginger.

APPLE FRANGIPANE PHYLLO TART

Steps:

• Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; coat with cooking spray. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Gently press phyllo into a 9-in. tart pan, allowing ends to extend over edges of pan., Layer with remaining phyllo, spraying after each layer; arrange in pan, rotating phyllo so corners do not overlap. Fold in overhanging phyllo, to form a pastry shell., Place almonds and sugar in a food processor; cover and process until finely ground. Add the flour, butter and salt; pulse until blended., Add the egg yolks, amaretto and almond extract; cover and pulse to blend well. Spread filling over the bottom of phyllo shell., Halve apples and thinly slice widthwise. Arrange apples in a pinwheel pattern over filling., Bake at 375° for 40-50 minutes or until apples are tender. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Remove to a wire rack and cool slightly. Brush warmed jelly over apples. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

APPLE TART IN PHYLLO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine apples, dried fruits, pecans, cinnamon, lemon juice, sugar, lemon rind, candied ginger and flour in a bowl and mix well.
• Unwrap phyllo and cover with wax paper and damp towel. Keep covered when not in use to prevent drying out.
• Heat butter and add oil.
• Using some of the butter mixture, lightly grease a baking pan, about 12 inches by 18 inches. (The pan can be as large as the sheets of phyllo, and brands differ in size. If they are too large for the pan, trim them.)
• Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo on bottom of pan and brush lightly with butter mixture. Repeat, buttering between sheets, using 8 sheets in all.
• Spread apple filling evenly over phyllo and top with another sheet, brushing lightly with butter. Repeat, butter each sheet, using 8 sheets in all, brushing the top sheet with butter. Cut phyllo all the way through into 12 rectangles.
• Bake in lower third of the oven for 25 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking 25 minutes longer, until top is brown. Cool. Serve at room temperature.

PHYLLO PASTRY WITH FRESH FIGS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest and juice, almond extract and sugar. Stir well and set aside.
• Lay 1 sheet phyllo dough horizontally on a flat surface. Brush lightly with butter. Fold phyllo in half, left to right, and brush the top lightly with butter. Then fold phyllo in half, top to bottom, and brush the top lightly with butter again. Fold once more, left to right. You should have a 4-by-6-inch rectangle. Brush top with butter and trim edges. Repeat with remaining 5 sheets phyllo, using 2 tablespoons butter per pastry. Lay pastry packages on a parchment-lined baking sheet and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Spread each pastry package with a generous tablespoon of ricotta filling. Snip stems from figs and open them into star shapes by cutting from stem end in quarters, nearly to the bottom of the fig. Top each pastry package with 2 figs. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each package.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped almonds and drizzle lightly with honey. Serve at room temperature. If desired, cut pastries in half to make 12 small servings.