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.
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.
Are you familiar with 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 very unique flavor and I think it's a love or hate situation. Like eggplant.
In my opinion, they are better baked unless they are super and perfectly ripe, which is not easy. 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.
What type of dough should we use?
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.
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.
What is walnut cream?
Similar to frangipane but made with walnuts instead of almonds.
It is a mixture used a lot 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.
Other recipes you might like:
Fresh Fig and Walnut Pie
Pear Frangipane Tart
Apricot Raspberry Tart
The Best Lemon Ricotta Pie
Sweet Potato Gingersnap Pie
Margarita Lime Pie
Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it.
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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.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ½ recipe graham cracker dough
For the walnut cream:
- 1 ½ cups walnut paste, at room tº, see recipe
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, at room t°
- 1 egg yolk, at room t°
- 4 teaspoons flour
For the assembly:
- 9 or 10 fresh figs
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 2 or 3 Tbs honey
Instructions
For the crust:
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 350º about 15 minutes before baking.
- 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.
- 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:
- In a bowl with a sturdy hand mixer or an electric one, mix walnut paste with butter.
- Add egg and egg yolk and then flour. Mix well but just to blend all ingredients completely.
For the assembly:
- Wash, dry and cut figs in half.
- 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.
- 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.
Keywords: fresh fig pie, fig walnut pie
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
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!
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.
Paula, I loved reading about your Mom! She's beautiful, just like you. This fig pie looks like the perfect treat for her.
What an incredible pie! I know my fig-loving husband would go ga-ga for it!
That looks luscious and is stunningly gorgeous! Great recipe for #SundaySupper!
I really enjoyed all of the photos of you and your mom. That pie looks incredible, especially those fresh figs!
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
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!
Okay your dish is absolutely gorgeous and your mom is so unbelievably beautiful. Loved all the family photos.
What a stunning pie and I absolutely love all the photos of your mom and the story.
Paula, of course your fig pie is out of this world and completely gorgeous (I love figs) but let's focus on talking about your mom. Wowzas she is a stunning lady! I loved this photo history of her, thank you so much for sharing them. I'm glad to hear that the flood didn't destroy all your pictures - that would've been devastating. And dang, your mom is 62 in that last photo?! I would've never guessed because she still looks young, vibrant and incredible. This was a beautiful post!
Such a beautiful post about your mom! Great pictures! Your tart look fantastic!
A beautiful post and I enjoyed reading and learning about your mom!Lovely pics too 🙂
This tart sounds and looks absolutely gorgeous.I love figs too and combining it with walnut seems like a great idea 🙂 Pinning it right now!
This is one very beautiful tart, Paula. Your mother looks elegant and beautiful.
You mother is so beautiful! 🙂
You wouldn't believe this..just a week ago I was looking at fresh figs and thinking what would it be possible to do with them 🙂
Oh Paula,
I love all of these photos of you and your mom. . I was actually looking for some today myself and can't find that many. . I think most of them are in Dallas or on a DVD or CD rom somewhere. . the not so good thing about technology. . I don't have as many real photos to hold and look at.
When you said she never lost her temper with you the way you did with her. . I can totally relate! I am ashamed to say that last year, when my mom was visiting us out here in WA, I totally lost my temper with my mother. . and I felt horrible (just sick) afterwards. . and even I am a mother now but I still think I will never be the kind of mother my mom was to me. I can only strive to be that for my daughters. They deserve that.
You were a gorgeous bride . . I must say. . and if this is your mom's fave. . the fig and walnut pie. . well, then she has beautiful taste! so lovely!!! what a great post, Paula!
Those figs look gorgeous, Paula!
Your mom sounds like a wonderful person. My mom also helps me with whatever I'm working on and has endless patience. It's too bad I didn't get that trait! And this pie! Love that you used graham cracker dough to make the crust. That is awesome, Paula! Love walnuts and figs too!
This is such a lovely post about your mom. I love all your photos, so glad you didn't lose too many to the water. Your pie looks absolutely gorgeous, love all the fresh figs!