Fig & Spiced Goat Cheese Tart - A "dessert" for all the cheese lovers out there. Ripe figs are piled into a flaky crust on top of sweet and savory spiced goat cheese, then topped with honey and pistachios. | foxeslovelemons.com

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I would ALWAYS choose a cheese course over a dessert. With the except of maaaaaaaaybe key lime pie flew in from the freaking Florida Keys, if a cheese course is an option rather than dessert, I’m going with the cheese.

I guess I kind of break the mold that way. But in fact, in many countries around the world, meals are finished with a bit of cheese instead of something sweet.

But around here, most people are looking to satisfy their sweet tooth after dinner. I created this Fig & Spiced Goat Cheese Tart as kind of an olive branch between the cheese people (hi!) and the dessert people (you know who you are).

I started with a roll of store-bought pie crust, because hey, every home chef is allowed to take a shortcut now and again (I also often use store-bought crust for chocolate brownie pie).

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I blind baked the pie crust and then spread it with a whipped goat cheese mixture spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, orange zest . . . and ground black pepper.

Just trust me on the black pepper. It’s the bridge between the savory cheese and the sweet figs. The sweet, ripe, juicy figs. Drizzled in honey. And sprinkled with pistachios.

Psst – buy a big package of goat cheese and try a sweet potato breakfast bake!

Fig & Spiced Goat Cheese Tart - A "dessert" for all the cheese lovers out there. Ripe figs are piled into a flaky crust on top of sweet and savory spiced goat cheese, then topped with honey and pistachios. | foxeslovelemons.com
Fig & Spiced Goat Cheese Tart - A "dessert" for all the cheese lovers out there. Ripe figs are piled into a flaky crust on top of sweet and savory spiced goat cheese, then topped with honey and pistachios. | foxeslovelemons.com

Fig & Spiced Goat Cheese Tart

Just trust me on the black pepper. It’s the bridge between the savory cheese and the sweet figs. The sweet, ripe, juicy figs. Drizzled in honey. And sprinkled with pistachios.
5 from 3 ratings

Ingredients

  • 1 refrigerated pie crust
  • ½ cup goat cheese 4 ounces
  • ¼ cup cream cheese 2 ounces
  • ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
  • teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground black pepper
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • Pinch ground ginger
  • 16 figs halved
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped pistachios

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Press crust into 9-inch tart pan; cut off excess crust hanging over edge. Use fork to poke several holes in bottom of crust. Line crust with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove pie weights and parchment paper; transfer crust to wire rack to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, place goat cheese and cream cheese in small microwave-safe bowl and microwave 15 seconds. Add orange zest, cinnamon, pepper, cloves and ginger and mash with fork until well combined.
  • Spread cheese mixture evenly in bottom of cooled tart crust. Arrange figs over cheese; drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pistachios.
Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 164mg, Potassium: 288mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 392IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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