Fig and Poppy Seed Cream Cheese Tart
A Croatian-inspired tart featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry shell filled with honey-sweetened cream cheese custard studded with poppy seeds and topped with fresh fig halves. The creamy filling contrasts beautifully with the crisp pastry base and soft figs. Serve this elegant dessert at dinner parties, afternoon tea, or special occasions. This version combines traditional Dalmatian flavors with a modern custard approach, requiring careful temperature control to achieve a silky, set filling without scrambling the egg.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ tsp salt, fine
- ¼ cups superfine sugar, granulated
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes, cold
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 3 ½ tbsp cream, or heavy cream
- ½ cups cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 tbsp cream, or heavy cream, for filling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, pure
- 5 tbsp honey, clear
- 3 tbsp poppy seeds, whole
- 1 large egg yolk, for filling, room temperature
- 6 whole fresh figs, halved lengthwise(optional)prunes, 140g choppedveganallergy-friendly
different flavor profile, less visual appeal
Instructions
- 1
Rub butter into flour, salt and sugar until resembling breadcrumbs, or pulse in food processor until fine
- 2
Mix in egg yolk and cream until dough comes together, pulsing if using processor
- 3
Turn onto floured surface and bring together into one mass
- 4
Place dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll into a 10 ⅔" disc using rolling pin
- 5
Remove top plastic, flip pastry into 9" loose-bottomed tart tin, peel away remaining plastic
- 6
Press pastry into base and sides, forming even edge, then freeze for 20-30 minutes
- 7
Preheat oven to 350°F
- 8
Blind bake pastry with baking paper and weights for 10-15 minutes, remove weights and bake 5 minutes more, pricking if puffed
- 9
Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F
- 10
Heat cream cheese, cream, vanilla, honey and poppy seeds in saucepan over low heat, stirring until soft
- 11
Add egg yolk and whisk over low heat for 5 minutes, keeping below simmer
- 12
Pour hot filling into pastry base, spread evenly and arrange fig halves on top
- 13
Bake for 40-50 minutes until custard sets and edges turn golden
- 14
Cool completely before removing from tin
Tips
Keep all pastry ingredients and equipment cold to prevent gluten development and ensure a tender, flaky crust that bakes evenly.
Whisk the filling egg yolk constantly over low heat without allowing it to simmer, as high temperature will scramble it into grainy curds.
Use a tart tin with a removable base for easy release, and cool the tart completely on a rack before unmolding for clean edges.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Store at room temperature no longer than 4 hours due to cream cheese filling.
Prepare pastry dough up to 2 days ahead, wrapped in plastic and chilled. Blind bake shell up to 1 day ahead. Assemble and bake day of serving.
Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or Greek yogurt. Slice with a hot, wet knife for clean portions.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the freezing step to avoid pastry shrinkage during blind baking
Do not let the filling mixture simmer to prevent the egg yolk from scrambling into grainy texture
Do not remove from tin while warm to avoid structural collapse and cracking
Substitutions
Vegan Options
General Alternatives
different flavor profile, less visual appeal
removes:eggs
removes:eggs
FAQ
Can I prepare the tart shell ahead?
Yes, blind bake the shell up to 1 day in advance and store covered at room temperature. Add filling and figs shortly before baking to prevent moisture absorption.
What if my egg yolk scrambles in the filling?
Immediately remove from heat and strain through fine sieve to remove grainy bits, though texture will be compromised. Maintain low heat and whisk constantly to prevent this.
Can I freeze this tart?
Freeze unbaked assembled tart for up to 1 month, then bake from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to bake time. Do not freeze baked tart as custard texture deteriorates.