• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers & Dips
    • Bakery Recipes
    • Bars & Brownie Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Brunch & Breakfast Recipes
    • Cakes, Cupcakes & Cheesecakes
    • Cheese Recipes
    • Chocolate Recipes
    • Condiments & Sauces
    • Cookies & Crackers
    • Desserts
    • Fruit Recipes
    • Grains & Legumes
    • Muffins and Quick Breads
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Readers' Favorite Recipes
  • Collections
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Heritage Recipes
    • Seasonal Recipes
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
    • Vintage Recipes
    • Holiday Recipes
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine's Day
  • Basic recipes
  • About this blog
    • The author
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility statement

Vintage Kitchen Notes logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • ALL RECIPES
  • Holidays
  • Seasonal
  • Vintage
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ALL RECIPES
    • Holidays
    • Seasonal
    • Vintage
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pies & Tarts

    Published: Jun 13, 2019 · Modified: Jun 18, 2021 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 12 Comments

    Lattice Fig Tart

    Jump to Recipe
    Fig Jam Tart pinterest collage
    Fig tart long pin

    This is a wonderful Fig Tart to make use of summer fruit. An Italian crostata recipe, it's a simple tart to eat with a cup of coffee or to take on a picnic. It lasts for a few days, and you'll find the step-by-step instructions for making both the sweet dough from scratch and homemade fig jam (but you can use store-bought).

    Close up of white plate with slice of lattice fig tart, fork

    I've been making this tart, or crostata, for a long time with different fillings. Here in Argentina, we have a strong Italian heritage and many of my recipes reflect that. Lattice pie is wildly popular, traditionally made with quince paste.

    But today we're changing that and using homemade fig jam (made by my mom!) and using what is probably my favorite sweet dough, the Italian pasta frolla, the one I use for the popular Lemon Ricotta Pie, that is easy to make and versatile.

    Table of Contents Hide
    What is a lattice tart?
    What is pasta frolla or Italian sweet crust?
    Steps for making tart dough:
    Tips for making pie dough:
    Rolling the dough
    About the filling
    Top tips
    Related recipes you might like:
    Lattice Fig Tart (Crostata recipe)

    What is a lattice tart?

    Lattice is the name given to the strips of dough placed in a crisscross pattern (image below) that leaves diamond shapes in between and is used in many tarts or pies.

    A lot of amazing lattice patterns have emerged over the years with the help of Pinterest and other media. Some are intricate and time-consuming but make for incredible tarts!

    The word also applies to metal and wooden strips that create the same pattern which is usually used as a holding structure, like triage in gardening.

    Whole fig lattice tart on wire rack, kitchen towel

    About the tart dough I'm using today.

    What is pasta frolla or Italian sweet crust?

    Pasta frolla is a simple sweet dough made with flour, butter, egg, and sugar. Flavorings are sometimes added. And you might also find some with a pinch of baking powder too.

    This dough is easy to make as any other sweet dough recipe. I use the processor for the first part, but you can easily make it by hand.

    This is the crust used for crostata which is the Italian lattice tart, traditionally filled with marmalade or jam.

    Steps for making tart dough:

    1. Mix cold butter (image 1) with dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture, with butter pieces no larger than peas.
    2. Add egg (image 2) and mix just until it moistens the flour mixture but don't let it turn into a ball in the processor (image 3).
    3. To test if the amount of liquid is right, press a bit with your palm and if it comes together it is done (image 4).
    Step-by-step images for making sweet pie dough

    The final dough should come together easily.

    Tips for making pie dough:

    • Butter, have it cold and in pieces. This is very important so it mixes a bit with the flour but is not completely incorporated into it. Some pieces of butter the size of peas should remain in order to ensure flakiness when it is baked. I use a food processor for this part, but you can easily make it in a bowl with a dough cutter or use your hands, always being careful not to overwork the butter and heating it up too much (due to warm hands). If that happens, return the bowl as is to the fridge for 10 minutes, and then continue.
    • Don't overwork the dough after adding the flour. This is a critical step if you want a tender, light dough. Once the flour is added, don't overwork it, it doesn't need to be kneaded. It needs to be mixed until there are no visible streaks of flour (image below).
    • Always let it rest in the fridge before rolling it. This step is absolutely essential. The dough, even if you didn't work it much when assembling it, will have developed some gluten (great for bread for example but not for doughs), so it needs to relax in the cold refrigerator before it is rolled. Otherwise, it will be difficult to stretch and will be too elastic, which will make it shrink as it bakes and be tough.
    Italian sweet dough ready to be rolled

    Rolling the dough

    Start with cold dough. Keep it in the fridge up until you have everything set up. You want to keep it as cold as possible while rolling it so it's easy to manipulate and doesn't break when you line the pie pan. But keep in mind that sweet doughs (such as this pasta frolla or other similar ones with eggs and sugar) are more delicate than for example a savory dough made with just flour, butter, and water.

    Round of sweet dough with pie pan on top, white surface, rolling pin

    Organize your space. Make sure you have ample space in your counter, some flour ready to lightly dust the surface, the rolling pin, the pan and, ideally, a cornet (bench knife, image below) or a bowl scraper to help you lift it up after it's rolled.

    The dough should be rolled a few inches larger than the tart pan (image above) so that it can be easily fitted into the pan.

    Then it should be blind baked which means that the dough is pre-baked so that the crust dries a bit and when the filling is added it doesn't seep into the dough, or at least not much (instructions in the recipe).

    Pie pan lined with sweet dough, fork, cornet, white surface

    About the filling

    You can fill it with any jam or sweet paste, even Nutella or dulce de leche.

    The traditional here is with quince paste, but today I'm using my mother's homemade fig jam (recipe below). She makes some for me every year and I usually eat it directly from the jar or with cheese. The figs are in big chunks and the syrup is sticky and sweet and plain awesome.

    So a fig tart or crostata was dancing in my mind and it finally happened. Let me tell you it's a phenomenal combination.

    Pie with homemade fig jam on wire rack, spoon

    Finally, the lattice, those strips of dough that are put on top of the filling in a crisscross pattern.

    They are easily made by rolling some dough and making strips with the pizza cutter (my choice). You can use a large kitchen knife too. My lattice is always rustic. Always. I never take the time to make perfect strips. It is what it is.

    Cutting strips of sweet dough rolled on white surface

    Top tips

    • Dough: make sure you follow the instructions carefully for making the pie dough and blind baking it. You'll find more tips in the note section of the recipe below.
    • Fillings: you can use a homemade jam or a good store-bought one. The quality will add (or subtract) from the final product. Quince paste, fig jam and dulce de leche are my favorites.
    • Keeping: this type of tart keeps for a few days at room t°. It can be frozen too and will last, well wrapped, a month.
    Hands holding white plate with slice of lattice fig tart, fork, white kitchen towel

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Partial view of fresh fig tart on wooden table
      Fresh Fig Walnut Pie
    • Crumbly squares of raspberry linzer tart on wooden board.
      Linzer Tart Recipe
    • Whole lattice Pie on wooden table, rolling pin
      Raspberry Apple Pie
    • Purple bowl with almond cream being lifted with a silver spoon. Grey and white surface and background.
      Frangipane (almond cream) with video!

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Print
    clockclock iconcutlerycutlery iconflagflag iconfolderfolder iconinstagraminstagram iconpinterestpinterest iconfacebookfacebook iconprintprint iconsquaressquares iconheartheart iconheart solidheart solid icon
    Whole fig lattice tart on wire rack, kitchen towel

    Lattice Fig Tart (Crostata recipe)

    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    A wonderful fig tart (or crostata alla marmellata as the Italians call it) with a lattice top with step-by-step instructions for the sweet dough and homemade fig jam.

    The time given in the recipe is for the pie (making the dough and baking it), not included is the time it takes to make the fig jam.

    • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings

    Ingredients

    Units

    For the dough:

    • 2 ¼ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup (100g) sugar
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, cold and in pieces
    • 1 egg
    • 1 egg yolk

    For the homemade Fig Jam:

    • 2 pounds fresh black figs
    • 3 cups (600g) white sugar
    • 2 strips orange or lemon zest
    • Large pinch of ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 to 1 cups water

    Instructions

    For the dough:

    1. In a food processor pulse a few time to mix flour, sugar and salt.
    2. Scatter butter pieces on top and mix until you have butter the size of peas.
    3. Add egg and yolk and process using on/off until it starts to come together. Don’t let it form a ball. It should come together when you pinch it with your fingers.
    4. Turn it onto the counter and press it together to form a flat disk. Or do like I do, and put it inside a plastic bag and aid yourself with the bag while pressing your knuckles until it comes together. That way you don’t touch the dough unnecessarily.
    5. Refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 2 days.
    6. When ready to bake, cut the dough in two pieces, one larger than the other (about ⅓ of the amount for the small piece) and roll the large one on a lightly floured counter until a few inches bigger than the pie plate. Keep the small piece refrigerated. 
    7. Carefully line the pan and pinch the edges. You might need to cut a few overhanging pieces.
    8. Prick the bottom and refrigerate or freeze (better).
    9. Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
    10. To blind bake: put a large piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the frozen dough and add weight: ceramic balls, uncooked rice, beans, chickpeas, flour. Anything that will hold the paper and can go into the oven.
    11. Bake for 15 minutes and carefully lift the paper with the weight. The dough should be somewhat dry and have held its shape. Bake it for another 5-10 minutes, until no streaks of butter remain in the bottom and the surface is dry. Let it cool on a wire rack while you prepare the lattice.

    Assembling the tart:

    1. Fill the pre-baked tart dough with fig jam, covering the whole surface but don't overdo it. Some jam will not be used.
    2. Roll out the small amount of dough that was in the fridge on a lightly floured counter to a thickness of half an inch or so. You want the center to be an inch larger than the pie plate. Remember you need two of each length.
    3. With a pizza wheel or a large kitchen knife, cut strips and make a lattice on top of the fig jam.
    4. To do that, begin with the longest strip in the middle and work your way to the edges, using shorter strips as you approach the sides. Pinch the edges to seal both doughs.
    5. Repeat to make a crisscross pattern. Pinch together broken strips or if you miscalculated and are short. Rustic is the way to go.
    6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the dough is golden and the jam bubbly.
    7. Let cool on a wire rack, remove from the pan and serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.
    8. Leftovers can be kept at room temperature for a day or two, wrapped in plastic or under a cake dome.

    For the homemade fig jam:

    1. Have a large saucepan ready.
    2. Wash figs, cut out stems and cut them in 3-4 pieces each, depending on their size.
    3. We need large chunks not bite-size pieces.
    4. Put them in the saucepan and add the whole amount of sugar.
    5. Leave them to macerate (releasing of their natural juices due to the sugar added) for ½ an hour.
    6. Add ½ cup water, orange or lemon strips, and cinnamon.
    7. Put the saucepan over low heat, really low heat and stir so that ingredients mix a bit, but careful not to break up the fig pieces.
    8. Stir every 15 minutes or so until it thickens and the liquid starts to become syrupy.
    9. It does need to be somewhat liquid, you don’t need for all the water to evaporate and leave you with a thick syrup. Because this will mean the figs are too dry.
    10. It will take 50-60 minutes approx.
    11. You can add an extra ½ cup of water and that will speed up the process but the figs will disintegrate more (maybe you don’t mind) and you’ll be left with a whole lot of fig syrup. Your call.
    12. While still hot put in sterilized jars and keep refrigerated.

    Notes

    Sweet pie crust:

    • Butter, have it cold and in pieces. This is very important so it mixes a bit with the flour but is not completely incorporated into it. Some pieces of butter the size of peas should remain in order to ensure flakiness when it is baked. I use a food processor for this part, but you can easily make it in a bowl with a dough cutter or use your hands, always being careful not to overwork the butter and heating it up too much (due to warm hands). If that happens, return the bowl as is to the fridge for 10 minutes, and then continue.
    • Don't overwork the dough after adding the flour. This is a critical step if you want a tender, light dough. Once the flour is added, don't overwork it, it doesn't need to be kneaded. It needs to be mixed until there are no visible streaks of flour (image below).
    • Always let it rest in the fridge before rolling it. This step is absolutely essential. The dough, even if you didn't work it much when assembling it, will have developed some gluten (great for bread for example but not for doughs), so it needs to relax in the cold refrigerator before it is rolled. Otherwise, it will be difficult to stretch and will be too elastic, which will make it shrink as it bakes and be tough.

    Homemade fig jam:

    • Use black figs and cut them in large chunks, 4 pieces is the best.
    • Use figs that are firm as they will disintegrate less during cooking.
    • Stir the jam often over very low heat. You can speed up by adding more water and medium heat, but the jam will have fewer chunks and the syrup more watery.
    • For sterilizing jars this is a good tutorial with different methods. Use sterilized jars if you're planning on keeping them for a long time (always refrigerated). They last for a week or so if using regular jars.
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 90
    • Cook Time: 40
    • Category: Pies & Tarts
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: Italian

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ⅛
    • Calories: 774
    • Sugar: 89.6 g
    • Sodium: 736.2 mg
    • Fat: 29.6 g
    • Carbohydrates: 118.4 g
    • Protein: 12.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 272.9 mg

    Keywords: fig tart, fig pie, fig jam

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

    More Pies & Tarts

    • Single slice of savory ricotta lattice pie on a white plate. Striped cloth and rest of pie in the background.
      Pizza Rustica (savory ricotta pie)
    • Bourbon Pecan Tart
    • White plate with bitten serving of pumpkin dump cake with ice cream on top. White and orange background.
      Pumpkin Dump Cake
    • White background and plate with slice of pecan pie, a silver fork
      Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Thank you for leaving a review for this recipe Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Juliana says

      June 26, 2019 at 6:22 pm

      Amazing step by step! Great recipe, I'm gonna make it soon.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. ali randall says

      June 25, 2019 at 6:28 pm

      What a beautiful tart. I love love fogs and anytime in a dessert I want a piece. This would be ideal for the holidays!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Beth Neels says

      June 25, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      Oooh! That fig jam looks thick and delicious! I can't wait to try this lovely tart! Great instruction, as well! I know I won't mess it up!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Sophie says

      June 25, 2019 at 5:19 pm

      I love everything that has fig and sugar, and your recipe has both. This is my kind of thing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Jessica Formicola says

      June 25, 2019 at 4:51 pm

      I love fig! And this tart looks so gorgeous! I can't wait to try it this weekend!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Beth Pierce says

      June 25, 2019 at 3:22 pm

      What a beautiful dessert! This will be great after dinner this evening! Looking forward to giving this a try!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. David Scott Allen says

      June 13, 2019 at 11:19 am

      It is just about time for fresh figs here - I can't wait to try this Paula! I made a fig tart last year and it has a wonderful buttermilk later. Love the darkness of this one!

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        June 15, 2019 at 9:17 am

        Hi David, glad you like it! Figs are such a great part of the summer season.

        Reply
    8. angiesrecipes says

      June 13, 2019 at 10:55 am

      It looks scrumptious with that homemade fig jam!

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        June 15, 2019 at 9:17 am

        Thanks Angie!

        Reply
        • Daniela Vella says

          June 18, 2021 at 11:48 am

          I'm making it now how long do i cook it for when i put the figs and rest of dough on ?

        • Paula Montenegro says

          June 18, 2021 at 7:18 pm

          Hi Daniela, you have to cook it for another 30 minutes or so, until the crust is baked and golden.

    Primary Sidebar

    Person with apron and tray of scones

    Hi, I'm Paula!

    A baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

    More about me →

    Featured in:

    Several colorful logos on white canvas

    Popular recipes

    • Shortbread fingers stacked on white surface
      The Best Lemon Shortbread
    • A white bowl with peach dump cake, blue spoon
      Peach Dump Cake
    • Easy No Bake Lemon Dessert
    • White plate with two wedges of roasted pumpkin, white background, herbs, forks, salt.
      Easy Roasted Pumpkin
    • Purple bowl with almond cream being lifted with a silver spoon. Grey and white surface and background.
      Frangipane (almond cream) with video!
    • Lifting a slice of ricotta cheesecake from the whole cake on a white plate with a silver knife. White background.
      Easy Ricotta Cheesecake

    Fruit desserts

    • Serving of apple berry crumble in a white bowl. Hands holding it. Teal background.
      Apple Berry Crumble
    • Close up of chocolate cherry dump cake serving in a white bowl.
      Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
    • White round dish with peach crisp and silver spoon
      Easy Peach Crumble (or crisp)
    • White plate with square of apple crumb bar with ice cream. Green cloth in the background.
      Easy Apple Crumb Bars

    Footer

    About

    The author
    Privacy Policy
    Amazon Associate
    Cookie Policy
    Accessibility

    Contact

    Sign Up! for emails and updates
    Contact


    Copyright © 2022 Vintage Kitchen Notes