Ginger fig tart with chestnut almond crust

Ingredients

Crust:

• coconut oil or cooking spray, for the pan
• 1⁄2 cup (60 g) blanched almond flour
• 1⁄2 cup (80 g) sweet white rice flour
• 6 tablespoons (40 g) chestnut flour (or use ½ cup oat flour if you don’t have chestnut flour)
• 2 tablespoons (12 g) tapioca flour/starch
• 1⁄4 cup (50 g) granulated cane sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold, salted vegan butter (such as Miyoko’s), cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes (dairy butter works, too)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g) raw cashews, soaked (see headnote)
• 2 tablespoons (12 g) finely ground chia seed (preferably white – I grind whole seeds in a coffee grinder)
• ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup (preferably grade A amber)
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• fat 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and finely grated (1 scant tablespoon)
• pinch salt
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• ½ cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil (preferably refined)
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract, or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• ~ 1 pound figs (2 dozen medium), trimmed and sliced scant ¼ - inch thick

Instructions

Make the crust:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (190ºC). Rub a 13½ by 4½-inch rectangular tart pan (or a 9-inch round tart pan) with a loose bottom with coconut oil or spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond, sweet rice, and chestnut flours with the tapioca starch, sugar and salt. Scatter the vegan butter pieces over the top and drizzle with the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to medium-low and run until the dough comes together in clumps and the butter is worked through, 3–5 minutes.
3. Dump the crumbs into the prepared tart pan with and press the dough evenly into the pan, starting with the sides and then moving to the bottom, keeping the edges square. (It usually takes me about 10 minutes to make it look pretty.) Freeze until firm, 15–30 minutes.
4. Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden all over, 20-30 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and, while it’s still hot, press the sides and bottom firmly with the back of a spoon; this will help it hold together when cool. Cool completely.

Make the filling:

1. Drain the soaked cashews and place them in the bowl of a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the ground chia seed, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, salt, and water. Blend, starting on low and increasing to medium-high, scraping the sides of the blender as needed, until the mixture is silky smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the melted coconut oil and vanilla paste, and blend on medium to combine, about 20 seconds.
2. Spread a little less than half of the cashew cream into the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Chill the tart to firm the cream enough to support the figs, about 20 minutes. Top with a layer of figs, halving some to fit snugly (see photos in post). Spread as much of the remaining cashew cream as will fit over the figs (I had about ½ cup left over) and chill again to firm the cream enough to support the figs, 20 minutes or so. Top with a final layer of figs. Chill the tart until firm enough to slice, at least 2 and up to 8 hours.
3. If the figs look dry, brush with a little maple syrup or honey diluted with boiling water. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut to slice the tart. The tart is best the day of baking when the crust is crisp, but will keep for up to 3 days refrigerated airtight.