fig tarts with pistachios, honey, and thyme

california dreaming.

a tasty crust needn't be baked- this tart uses a variation of a basic "raw" dessert crust. with the help of a personal blender, it's easy to assemble. sticky and nutty and salty- perfect with a tangy filling and super sweet fresh figs. this tart was created to showcase some liquid gold honey from topanga, but really the whole thing screams california.

fig tarts with pistachios, honey, and thyme

• 1 cup shelled pistachios (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 dates, pitted
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
• 4 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or softened cream cheese)
• 4 Tablespoons thick, greek yogurt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons honey, + more for presentation
• 6 large mission figs, quartered
• few springs of thyme

for the crust:

• grind the nuts to a fine consistency (it's okay if some are a little chunkier though). combine with the salt in a medium bowl.
• if the dates are very dry, soak them in 1/4 cup hot water for 20minutes. add the dates, the oil, and the soaking liquid to the food processor or blender. if they are fresh, add them along with a 1/4 of water. add the coconut oil, and blend to create a paste.
• mix the date paste into the nuts until a dough has formed. divide into 6 parts, and press into the bottom of a silicone tart forms. let chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or overnight

for the filling:

• whisk together the cheese, yogurt, zest and 2 teaspoons honey until well combined. keep refrigerated until ready to use.

for the presentaion:

• carefully pop out a tart shell from the mold. fill with the cheese mixture. top with the quartered figs and drizzle with honey. sprinkle thyme tips over top.