Kelsey and I had an amazing Christmas break. We hated being away from the Kastle and all that our life here entails but loved the time at home. There were several highlights from our time at home- one being a stop by my girlfriend’s house on Christmas Day. I step into the comforts of her home and what do I see? A cake clearly from a box sitting on the counter. Pre-made frosting and all.

I mean… you know I was upset.  I wouldn’t use store bought mix in an I’m-sorry-your-boyfriend-dumped-you-cake for a distant friend…. let alone for Christmas Day.  I started to wonder if Betty Crocker had come before or after me on the invite list and decided I would need a baking cleanse.

This is how I landed on a Fig and Almond Tart:

Fig and Almond Tart

This tart has all things good:

1.) Figs- they made the cut for the Bible itself and rightfully so.

2.) Cheese- let’s be real I’ll take cheese any way I can get it.

3.) Marzipan- became addicted to this stuff during my Germany trip and I’m so not pissed it is in this tart.

4.) Carbs- well now I’m just sold.

Now pretty much no guy (besides my father – greatest man on Earth – and fan of all things fig) wants a fig tart, so I recommend making this for your mom or girlfriends.

BUT SHOOT! FIGS ARE NOT IN SEASON! Why do I live in a black hole that is sans figs for the majority of the year?!

Thank goodness there is a lollipop-shaped woman out there named Giada who has taught me how to reconstitute dried figs. It’s not the same as fresh but it still beats a store bought cake mix.