Apple Fig Custard

Tis fig season at our home. The hubby found this recipe for us to try from Bon Appetit. We altered it to fit our needs.

Apple and Fig Custard

Ingredients

8 Servings

• 4 tablespoons earth balance soy free sticks, plus more for dish
• 2 tablespoons demerara sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 3/4 cup aquafaba from garbanzo beans
• ⅔ cup almond milk, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ¾ cup mascarpone tart filling, room temperature
• ½ cup all-purpose gluten free flour
• kosher salt to taste if desired, we used salted earth balance and salted aquafaba, so we did add any
• 2 pounds firm baking apples (about 4 large), cored, sliced into ½-inch-thick rings
• 6 ounces fresh figs, halved lengthwise
• cinnamon

Preparation

Place rack in top third of oven; preheat to 450°. Butter a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Combine granulated sugar and zest in a medium bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; save pod for another use. Massage zest and seeds into sugar with your fingers until mixture is very fragrant.

Blend aquafaba in a blender or mixer until very frothy, about 1 minute. With motor running, gradually stream in milk, then vanilla. Add sugar mixture, mascarpone tart filling, flour, and salt and blend just until smooth. Let custard rest while you roast the apples.

Cook remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns (do not let it burn), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add apples, a pinch of salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. demerara sugar and toss to coat.

Arrange apples in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven, tossing halfway through, until caramelized and tender, 25–30 minutes. Let apples sit until they are cool enough to handle but still warm (otherwise they’ll stick), then arrange in prepared dish, reserving a few slices for placing on top. Add figs, reserving a few for on top. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully pour custard over fruit. Arrange reserved apple slices and figs on top. Reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake custard until golden and center is firm, 30–35 minutes Sprinkle with cinnamon. Let cool slightly before serving.

Do Ahead: Custard can be blended 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and mix gently before pouring over fruit.