Coffee-Marsala Fig Tartelettes

Well, that is more than obivious that lately desserts are dominating my blog, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are a few reasons for that, one is that I am pretty uninspired at the moment, on the other hand I simply have no time. But still there is hope! Yesterday, I was kissed by a muse, that means that at least now I have an idea, now I only have to work it out. Anyway, now let's see the tartelettes. I prepared them using leftovers, even the cream was a leftover, but I have made a few changes. The pâte brisée recipe I used this time is by Pierre Hermé. I have no idea if I have ever made that one before, but it rocks. But feel free to use your favourite.

 

So, the tartelettes are filled with a coffe-marsala and mascarpone cream. The cream is based on a pastry cream to which I added a coffee-marsala sabayon, mascarpone and some whipped cream. As far as the figs are concerned feel free to use it in any way you desire. For example you can use fresh figs, or some caramelised, or in Marsala marinated. The highlight could be a caramlised fig which is flambéed with Marsala. At the end I sprinkled it with chopped pistachios and decorated with coffee meringue.

Ingredients: 
for the pastry cream:
55 g sugar
8 g flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
175 m milk
for the sabayon:
2 egg yolks
50 g sugar
30 ml Marsala
30 ml coffee
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 g mascarpone
100 ml cream

 

In a heavy bottomed saucepan whisk together the sugar, flour, vanilla extract, egg yolk and half of the milk. When it is mixed well, add the rest of the milk and bring it to cook over low heat and cook it until it has thickened. Set aside and let it cool. For the sabayon prepare a bain marie, then whisk together all the ingredients and beat it over steam until it thickens and become shiny and creamy. Mix it with the pastry cream, stir in the mascarpone and the beaten cream. You may beat the cream with some sugar if desired. Pour cream into the blind baked tartelette shells and chill for a few hours. Serve with fresh figs, meringue and chopped pistachios.