Vanilla Tart with Figs and Pistachio

Crust:

1. In a food processor with a steel blade, put flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and process until a crumbly mixture is obtained.
2. Add the yolk and continue to blend until large chunks of dough form. If the dough does not combine into large chunks – gradually add a little water.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, flatten it with your hands and cover in plastic wrap.
4. Cool in the refrigerator for about an hour.
5. On a floured work surface roll out the dough to a 3-4 mm thick and cut out circles 8-9 cm in diameter.
6. Arrange the dough in the tartelettes pans. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, so that the edges remain high and will not shrink down during baking.
7. Pierce the base of the crust with a fork and cool in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.

Blind baking:

1. Place a small sheet of crumpled baking paper on each tartelette (you can also use paper-sized paper crowns) and fill with dry beans or special baking weights.
2. Bake the tartelettes in this way for 10-12 minutes.
3. Remove the weights and the paper and continue to bake the tartelettes for another 8-10 minutes until uniformly golden.
4. Cool completely.

Vanilla pastry cream:

1. In a small pot, put milk and vanilla together and heat to a simmer.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk well egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into a uniform, thick mixture.
3. Add about 1/3 of the boiling milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while stirring vigorously until uniform mixture is obtained.
4. Drain the mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk and mix well.
5. Return the mixture to cooking over medium flame and continue to cook while mixing constantly until thick, stable pastry cream is created.
6. Remove from heat and add butter. Mix until it melts and you get a smooth cream.
7. Pour the cream into a relatively flat container and cover with plastic wrap.
8. Cool for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
9. When the cream is cold, transfer it to a medium bowl, and then whisk it well until it returns to the original creamy texture.
10. In a mixer bowl whip cream until firm.
11. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream until you get a uniform, stable vanilla cream.

Assemble the tartelettes:

1. Fill the baked tartelettes with cream and straighten with a palate knife.
2. Decorate with figs, roasted pistachios and white chocolate disks.