FRANGIPANE (ALMOND) TART WITH FRUIT (FIG, APPLE, CHERRY, PEAR, B

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolk and cream in small bowl.
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a mixer with paddle.
• Add 1 cup butter and mix on low until coarse meal forms.
• Add egg mix and blend just until moist clumps form.
• Gather into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
• Butter tart pan.
• Roll out dough to 13" round on a lightly floured surface and transfer to pan. Press onto bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim excess dough.
• Chill 30 minutes.
• Bring half and half to a simmer in a small saucepan. Whisk 1st quantity of sugar, 1/3 of eggs and flour in a small bowl.
• Gradually whisk in half and half.
• Return to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a small bowl.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Set over a bowl of ice water and stir pastry cream until cold. Remove from ice bath and set aside.
• Grind almonds with half of 2nd quantity of sugar in a food processor being careful NOT to take it to a paste.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and remaining sugar until smooth.
• Add remaining eggs 1 at a time, beating well between additions.
• Gradually beat in almond mixture.
• Add 1/2 cup pastry cream (reserve remaining for another use).
• Cover and chill until firm, about 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Spread filling over crust. Arrange fruit (if fig cut side up)in concentric circles over filling.
• Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until filling center is golden and set -- about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.