Serves 6
½ cup sugar
1 ounce water
1 ounce butter
6 to 7 figs, halved
1 prepared pie shell, trimmed to fit
8-inch sauté pan
Vanilla ice cream
Make caramel sauce by placing sugar and water in an 8-inch sauté pan. Warm over medium heat until the sugar begins to caramelize. As soon as the sugar has darkened to a mahogany color, add the butter. Add figs cut-side down into the caramel. Top the figs with the pastry and place in a preheated 350-degree oven. Remove when the pastry is brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Holding a plate in one hand and the sauté pan in the other, pour the pan mixture onto the plate, making sure that the tarte tatin is topped with the figs facing up on the plate. Cut the tart into quarters, top with a scoop of ice cream, and serve.
