Fig mini-basket (tartlet)

The Chinese name of fig (back translation: fruit from no flower) intrigued me. If it's the case, no flower, no pollination, how to produce fruit and seed? So I looked up on Internet. '... A fig "fruit" is derived from a specially adapted type of inflorescence (structural arrangement of flowers). What is commonly called the "fruit" of a fig is actually a specialized structure- or accessory fruit- called a syconium: an involute (nearly closed) receptacle with many small flowers arranged on the inner surface. Thus the actual flowers of the fig are unseen unless the fig is cut open. The syconium often has a bulbous shape with a small opening (the ostiole) at the distal end that allows access by pollinators. The flowers are pollinated by very small wasps that crawl through the opening in search of a suitable place to reproduce (lay eggs).... Technically, a fig fruit would be one of many mature, seed-bearing flowers found inside one fig.' (source from Wikipedia). So here we see the flower power -- fig's flowers provide a safe haven and nourishment for the next generation of wasps, in return the wasps provide pollinator service so fig trees can reproduce by seed.

Fig in dessert is always my favorite, I particularly like Sicilian filled-cookies, cucidati. From there I got my idea for these fig tartlets. This is my contribution to Sugar High Friday #30, this month of SHF is hosted by our gorgeous Monisha over Coconut Chutney.

Recipe: (yield 10 mini tartlets)

• 1 semolina crust recipe
• 6 dried figs
• 3 Tbps raisins
• 3 Tbps almond flakes
• 1 -2 Tbps candied orange peel
• 1 Tbp mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup orange juice (optional)

Direction:

• Lightly grease mini-tart pan. Roll dough to 1/8"-thick. Use a 2.5"-dia cookie-cutter to cut out 10 circles, arrange them into the tart pan. Wrap them up and the left-over dough chill in the fridge.
• If the figs are too dried, bring the orange juice (in a small pot) to boil, simmer the figs (cover) for 15 minutes or so, turn the heat off, let it soak (lid still on) until they look soften enough for you. Drain. Preheat oven 375F.
• Finely chopped the figs, combine with raisins, candied orange, almond flakes and chocolate chips. Spoon the filling into the tart shells. Cut more fine strips from the left-over dough and use them to decorate the tarts.
• Bake tartlets for 15 - 20 minutes or until the shells slightly golden brown.

My note:

• My baskets' handle and base have two different brown tones. The reason is, my tart shells were sitting on dark-coated pan which absorbs heat faster in hot oven, so the tarts' bottom browns up easier. If you don't want it happen, but also don't have a light-colored pan, you can wrap the pan's bottom with a piece of foil as its silvery color will reflect some heat out.

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