Goat Cheese and Fig Tart is a quick and simple tart you can make in 10 minutes. Appetizer or dessert, either way you choose, you’ll love the combination of goat cheese and figs.
I’m not sure whether to put this under the appetizer or dessert category. Either way, you can throw this together in less than ten minutes. I had been to the Farmer’s Market and picked up some Goat Lady Cheese. If you don’t live in this area, I hope you have a dairy somewhere close by where you can get fresh goat cheese. We are so lucky to have this farm just outside of Greensboro. Most of the restaurants in town serve this cheese and we can purchase it at the farmer’s market which is convenient. There’s nothing like cheese made from happy goats less than 50 miles from where you live. When the girls were younger we went to the goat farm to visit. It’s fun to see where this wonderful cheese comes from and the love and hard work that go into it.
So, armed with fresh goat cheese and having a friend over for dinner who doesn’t mind being a guinea pig for my cooking adventures, I decided to try this for dessert. I was actually going to make it for the appetizer but decided at the last minute to serve it for dessert.
Puff pastry appetizers or desserts are so easy and don’t require a recipe at all. Last week we just sliced peaches on pastry and popped it in the oven and then drizzled it with honey. But for company, I added some honey to the goat cheese and spread it on puff pastry that I had rolled out a bit and then turned over the edges to make a crust to keep the juices in. I sprinkled a little rosemary on top and baked for just a few minutes until the pastry was cooked through and golden brown. Then I drizzled with honey. I had some Ghost Pepper infused honey that I ordered from Cloisters. If you like spicy food this is a great addition. It comes whipped so just melt it a bit in the microwave and drizzle on top.
Adding the honey to the goat cheese not only makes it sweet but gives it a nice creamy texture when baked, almost like a custard. This was a nice light dessert that everyone enjoyed with coffee. Coffee hater that I am, I chose tea. A quick dessert or appetizer that you can put together with almost any fruit on hand. I prepared it before our guest arrived and then popped it in the oven when we sat down to eat. That way it had cooled just enough by the time dinner was finished.
While Pepperidge Farm puff pastry is what is most readily available and is what I used in these photos, if you can find Dufour, I think it’s worth the money. People will think you made the pastry yourself it’s that good. I can find it at Fresh Market and Whole Foods. It only comes with one sheet which is generally all that I use at a time.
Goat Cheese and Fig Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 4 ounces goat cheese softened
- ¼ cup honey
- 6 fresh figs up to 8, stemmed and quartered
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
Instructions
- Place puff pastry on parchment paper and roll out into a 10 inch square. Prick all over with a fork. Fold the edges over about ½ inch to form a border all around the square. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Combine goat cheese and about half of the honey and spread on the pastry. Place figs on top and sprinkle with rosemary.
- Bake at 425º for 5-7 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Drizzle with remaining honey and let cool slightly before serving.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Try using Pepper Boursin cheese in stead of Goat Cheese.
Nutrition
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