Rich, barely bitter caramel, deeply toasted nuts, and chewy figs combine in a buttery crust for a dessert designed for pairing with Madeira from former F&W senior food editor Mary-Frances Heck.
Tart Crust
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/8 ounces), plus more for measuring cup
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (5 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon ice water
Fig-Caramel Filling
2 cups raw mixed nuts (such as pecans, blanched hazelnuts, walnuts, slivered almonds, and pistachios) (about 9 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 ½ teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
6 dried Mission figs (about 13/4 ounces), stemmed and finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Additional Ingredients
Flaky sea salt
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Pulse flour, butter, sugar, and fine sea salt in a food processor until mixture resembles small peas, 10 to 12 pulses. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ice water over mixture; pulse until evenly incorporated, about 8 pulses; crumbs should just hold together when pinched. Transfer mixture to a 10-inch round tart pan with 1-inch-tall sides and a removable bottom; use fingers to distribute crust evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Using the floured bottom of a metal measuring cup, press crumbs firmly into bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze until hard, at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick crust a few times using a fork. Bake in preheated oven until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
Arrange nuts in an even layer on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350°F, stirring occasionally, until evenly deeply toasted, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.
Stir together sugar, 1/4 cup water, honey, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high; boil, swirling pan occasionally but not stirring, until caramel is very dark and mixture registers 390°F on an instant-read thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully stir in figs and cream using a long-handled wooden spoon. Add butter and fine sea salt; stir until smooth.
Arrange toasted nuts in an even layer in cooled crust; pour warm caramel over nuts to fill crust. Let tart cool completely at room temperature until set, at least 8 hours or up to 1 day. For cleaner slices, chill tart at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days before serving. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve with whipped cream.
