Fig Rum Walnut Pie, made with fresh picked figs, soaked in rum, atop a cardamom milk custard, enveloped by a walnut and cardamom pie crust.
Ripe Figs
So juicy and sweet, it’s often difficult not to eat all the figs as I pluck them from my fig trees! Growing up, the only figs I encountered were dried and tucked inside a flavorless doughy cookie purchased from the store.
Not anymore! Markets across America now have seasonal fresh figs for all to enjoy!
You can bet that I have created numerous recipes for my beautiful fig trees when they are ripe for the picking; both sweet and savory. Would you like to indulge in more figs with me?
- Fig and Garlic Chive Pizza – Made with a spelt pizza crust, zucchini ribbons and figs, feta and chives and a drizzle of honey just before serving
- Fig Jam – Hot or Sweet – Hot with chilies and garlic or sweet with bourbon and juicy figs for a variety of uses
- Almond Oat Crust Fig Tart – The very one I made on The Great American Recipe with PBS
- Pecan Yeast Bread Fig Bruschetta – Homemade pecan yeast bread with a spread of Greek yogurt on top, and layered with fresh figs
Figs and Rum
While there are a variety of types of booze to cook with, nothing brings out the flavor of the fruit in my desserts quite like rum.
Rum, in and of itself, is simply distilled sugarcane, yum! Some rum has been distilled with spices such as allspice, nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon, so the flavor of the rum is deepened all the more and ready for whatever dessert you are making.
Walnut Pie Crust
While there are many nuts that enhance the flavor and texture of a pie crust, walnuts are always the nut I choose first in my pie crusts.
The oil of the walnut is quickly released when crushing them, which means I can use less butter in my pie crust.
Walnut oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acid which makes me feel better about using it in baking, but the real reason is the subtle nutty flavor it imparts without dominating a luscious pie crust.
This walnut pie crust compliments the fig rum custard filling with maybe a dollop of mascarpone cheese on top.
Growing Fig Trees For My Fig Pie
Figs are one of those fruits that do not continue to ripen after they are picked, so having a fig tree in my yard insures me I am able to obtain the most perfectly ripened figs.
The problem? The war between me and the ants begins the minute those plump fruits begin to soften on the branch.
Of course, they will more than likely all ripen at about the same time, so the question becomes, what to do with them all.
These beautiful fruits, once gently washed and dried, freeze well for up to three years!
Ingredients
- Walnuts
- Butter
- Flour
- Cardamom
- Whole milk or Coconut milk
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Fresh Figs
- Rum
Equipment
- Baking pie dish or Tart pans
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
- Food processor
How To Make Fig Rum Walnut Pie
Once the fresh figs are sliced, they will bathe in a bowl of rum while the pie is being prepared. The walnut crust is a soft, cookie-dough type of crust, so it will get pressed into the pie pan rather than a flour ladened crust that is rolled out. The milk custard is an easy to whisk egg, sugar and milk mixture that gets poured into the prepared crust and baked to gentle perfection. Layer the intoxicated figs across the freshly baked pie and you have a scrumptious dessert, unlike any fruit dessert that will come out of your kitchen!
Fig Rum Walnut Pie
Ingredients
- Walnuts – 1 cup, crushed to a flour
- Butter – 2 tablespoons, soft
- Flour – 1 cup
- Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
- Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- Whole milk – 1 cup
- Eggs – 2
- Sugar – 2 tablespoons
- Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon
- Fresh Figs – 6 – 8
- Rum – 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 325
- Place sliced figs in a bowl, drizzle rum across and let sit while preparing the pie.
- Mix pie crust with a fork or quickly in a processor. Don’t over mix. Press the dough into the pie pan. Set in the fridge while preparing the filling.
- Place ½ cup of the milk, cardamom, and the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer, taking care not to boil, only to dissolve the sugar and release the essence from the spice. Remove, add remaining milk to cool the milk. Whisk in the eggs. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake until top of the custard is firm. Cool slightly.
- Arrange figs across the top.
Notes
Nutrition
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.