Fig tarts with brown sugar mascarpone

I had two Estonian girlfriends over for a leisurely dinner on Saturday night, where we compared each others' Christmas holiday notes and plans for the new year. We had a Georgian chicken stew - chakhohbili - for the main course, and puff pastry tarts with figs and brown sugar mascarpone for the dessert. We drank Italian white wine and copious amounts of water infused with cucumber & lime slices.

Puff Pastry Tarts with Figs & Brown Sugar Mascarpone
(Viigimarjakoogid)

I came across this simple yet delicious dessert in a donna hay magazine (Issue 20, Autumn 2005). I didn't change anything about it – though I did forget to dab the figs with butter before baking, and I'll do that next time as well.

Cut puff pastry into 10x5 cm rectangles, put onto a baking tray and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Cut ripe figs into quarters and place on the pastry sheets. Sprinkle with brown sugar.



Bake in a 200˚C oven for 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Serve with a dollop mascarpone cheese that has been mixed with brown sugar (about 2 Tbsp of sugar per 250 gram tub of mascarpone).



Again, a really simple and tasty dessert that will definitely be a keeper. The two guests had not eaten figs before, and were totally converted.

Next time I will cut the puff pastry into small squares and top each with just a quarter of a fig – this way I'd get nice small desserts that can be eaten with fingers.