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    Home » Recipes » Pies & Tarts

    Published: May 12, 2013 · Modified: Sep 10, 2020 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    Fresh Fig Walnut Pie

    Jump to Recipe

    Juicy figs top a layer of walnut cream, all encased by a graham cracker homemade crust. A delicious dessert pie to showcase the best of this summer fruit.

    Fresh Fig and Walnut Pie on a wooden table, shaker and cutlery.

    I made this tart for my mother. She's mad about fresh figs (I wonder where I got that from) and every year makes me the most wonderful fig jam ever. Just like her mother taught her. 

    It is a simple pie although it might look like a laborious recipe. Because each component can be made in advance. 

    Table of Contents Open
    About figs
    Type of dough
    What is walnut cream?
    Fresh Fig Walnut Pie

    About figs

    They are shaped like a small punching bag, brownish-purple outside (quite unappetizing if you ask me) and reddish inside, with a center of seeds. They have a unique flavor, and I think it's a love or hate situation like eggplant.

    They taste better baked unless they are perfectly ripe. Like any summer fruit with a short season, finding extraordinary figs can be quite a challenge. 

    Baking with them is the second-best option. And the results are amazing. 

    Type of dough

    After making graham crackers for the first time, I now keep the dough frozen at all times. Or as cookies in a tin. The flavor is one to beat. It's the perfect one for cheesecakes and also for this fresh fig and walnut pie.

    So you can use a graham cracker cookie crust, like the one we love for traditional cheesecakes, or a vanilla cookie crust like the key lime pie. 

    Or use a sweet pie crust or shortcrust pastry. 

    Fig walnut tart process shots, a collage.

    So the dough is pre-baked, then a thick layer of walnut cream is added, and finally the majestic green and red figs are artfully (ha!) placed atop before going into the oven. 

    What comes out is a bunch of less vibrant fruit, but with that unmistakable smoky flavor of baked figs, the cookie crunchiness of the graham cracker dough and the creamy walnuts.

    Partial view of fresh fig tart on wooden table.

    What is walnut cream?

    It's similar to frangipane but made with walnuts instead of almonds. 

    A mixture that is used in French tarts, especially those with fruits. It bakes into a soft, spongy layer and adds a lot of flavor to the pie.

    I finish each slice with a drizzle of sweet honey. 

    This is a good pie people.

    Eaten slice of fig tart on light blue plate.

    Other recipes you might like:
    Pear Frangipane Tart
    Apricot Raspberry Tart
    The Best Lemon Ricotta Pie
    Sweet Potato Gingersnap Pie

    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.

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    Partial view of fig tart on wire rack on wooden table

    Fresh Fig Walnut Pie

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    A layer of walnut cream is topped by juicy figs, all encased by a graham cracker homemade crust. A delicious dessert pie to showcase the best of this summer fruit.

    • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings

    Ingredients

    Units

    For the crust:

    • ½ recipe graham cracker dough
    • Or make a graham cracker cookie crust (with store-bought cookies)

    For the walnut cream:

    • 1 ½ cups walnut paste, at room temperature, see recipe
    • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 egg, at room temperature
    • 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
    • 4 teaspoons flour

    For the assembly:

    • 9 or 10 fresh figs
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 or 3 tablespoons honey

    Instructions

    For the crust:

    1. On a lightly floured surface, roll graham cracker dough about ¼ inch or less, to fit a 9-inch round pie plate. The dough might not roll in one neat piece like regular dough does; don't worry, just do it in pieces and patch it in the mold. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    2. Preheat oven to 350º about 15 minutes before baking.
    3. Cover cold pie dough with a piece of aluminum foil, fill it with some kind of weight, I used lentils but you can use beans or ceramic marbles.
    4. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, carefully lift the aluminum foil with the weight, and bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the dough is dry and lightly colored. Let cool on wire rack. Keep the oven on.

    For the walnut cream:

    1. In a bowl with a sturdy hand mixer or an electric one, mix walnut paste with butter.
    2. Add egg and egg yolk and then flour. Mix well but just to blend all ingredients completely.

    For the assembly:

    1. Wash, dry and cut figs in half.
    2. Pur walnut cream evenly over pie dough, and arrange the half pieces of figs on top.Sprinkle with the sugar and bake for about 30 minutes, until figs are beginning to soften and walnut cream is puffy.
    3. Let cool on wire rack, unmold onto serving plate and drizzle with honey before serving.

    Notes

    Frangipane: you can use almond cream instead of walnut if you like.

    Pie crust: use a regular sweet pie crust or a cookie crust.

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 40
    • Cook Time: 45
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Keywords: fresh fig pie, fig walnut pie

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

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    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

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    1. Bam's Kitchen says

      May 16, 2013 at 1:03 pm

      A beautiful post and a beautiful mom! I absolutely love your fresh fig and walnut pie. I would love to take a bite but I do not want to ruin your beautiful photography photos. Have a super weekend. BAM

      Reply
    2. Kathy says

      May 16, 2013 at 11:58 am

      Such a lovely post, Paula! A wonderful tribute to your beautiful mother….you resemble her quite a bit!
      You know how I feel about figs…I will definitely be making this! I can’t wait till the fresh figs are in the market! Have a wonderful day!

      Reply
    3. Renee says

      May 15, 2013 at 11:40 pm

      What a post Paula. So glad you didn't lose all the photos in the flood. What memories that must have gone though your head when you were writing this post. It's a lovely tribute and one that will be cherished by your family for sure.
      Your pie is stunning. It is the most beautiful fig pie I've ever seen. You have such talent.

      Reply
    4. Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says

      May 15, 2013 at 7:42 pm

      Paula, I loved reading about your Mom! She's beautiful, just like you. This fig pie looks like the perfect treat for her.

      Reply
    5. Katie says

      May 15, 2013 at 7:35 pm

      What an incredible pie! I know my fig-loving husband would go ga-ga for it!

      Reply
    6. Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says

      May 14, 2013 at 7:06 pm

      That looks luscious and is stunningly gorgeous! Great recipe for #SundaySupper!

      Reply
    7. Family Foodie says

      May 14, 2013 at 2:41 pm

      I really enjoyed all of the photos of you and your mom. That pie looks incredible, especially those fresh figs!

      Reply
    8. Cocoa and Lavender says

      May 14, 2013 at 12:28 pm

      Paula - this is one of my favorite posts of yours - so personal, honest and caring. You and your mother do look so much alike and you are both so beautiful! Happy Mother's Day to her, and happy Thankful Daughter's Day to you! The tart looks amazing - I can't wait until our tree gives us some ripe figs so that we can make this! ~ David

      Reply
    9. Courtney @ Neighborfood says

      May 14, 2013 at 2:15 am

      This is so lovely. I've never baked with figs before but they're just so beautiful and tasty, I really need to start! Also walnut cream sounds like the most incredible thing ever. Your mom is so beautiful...just like this tart!

      Reply
    10. Kim Bee says

      May 13, 2013 at 11:12 pm

      Okay your dish is absolutely gorgeous and your mom is so unbelievably beautiful. Loved all the family photos.

      Reply
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    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.

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