How to make a fig caramel tart with cocoa and almond crust

Ingredients

For the tart crust

• 135g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 80g ground almonds
• 80g icing sugar
• A pinch of sea salt
• 150g unsalted butter, melted
• 1tspn vanilla-bean paste

For the caramel

• 130g light-brown sugar
• 130ml double cream
• 75g unsalted butter
• 4tbspn tahini
• A pinch of sea salt
• 150g mascarpone

To serve

• 12 fresh figs, quartered
• A handful chopped pistachios
• A drizzle of runny honey

Method

Preheat your oven to 160˚C fan/180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4 and prepare a loose-bottomed tart tin by adding a disc of parchment paper to the base.

To make the crust, add the flour, cocoa powder and ground almonds to a large bowl and whisk together with the icing sugar and sea salt. Pour over the melted butter and vanilla-bean paste and mix to a damp, sandy crumb.

Tip the mixture into the tart tin and press it firmly over the base and up the sides using a flat-bottomed glass or the back of a spoon until even. Chill for 30 minutes and then bake for about 18 minutes. Let it cool completely in the tin.

Make the filling by adding the light-brown sugar, double cream and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and melting everything together. Allow it to bubble gently for a few minutes to thicken, then remove from the heat. Cool for a few minutes, then stir through the tahini and salt — it should be warm, but not hot.

Cool for 10 minutes, then whisk in the mascarpone. Pour into the cooled tart shell and chill for about two hours or until softly set.

Once chilled, arrange the figs over the top, scatter with the chopped pistachios and drizzle with the honey.

This tart is best eaten on the day you make it, but you can make the shell and caramel in advance to assemble on the day.

This feature originally appeared in the print edition of Country Life — here's how you can subscribe to Country Life magazine.