The butter for the brioche needs to be the right consistency or it won’t incorporate correctly into the dough. If it is too cold, it will remain in lumps and if it is too soft, it will melt and make the dough greasy.

Take it from the fridge and cut it into 20 to 24 chunks, then leave them at room temperature until they are pliable, but not melting. A heavy-duty stand mixer makes mixing this dough very easy. It can be made with an electric hand mixer, but be careful that the motor doesn’t overheat. The dough needs to be made a day in advance, so it can rise overnight in the fridge.

For this tart, you will use only half the amount of the pistachio frangipane. The rest of the frangipane keeps in the fridge for about a week, or frozen for at least a month. Buy shelled, unsalted, bright green pistachios – the beige ones make the filling look very dull.

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Ingredients

For the brioche:

• 260 grams (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 5 grams (1½ tsp) instant yeast

• 40 grams (2 tbsp + 2 tsp) granulated sugar

• 25ml (1 tbsp + 2 tsp) tepid water

• ¾ tsp fine sea salt

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 125 grams (4½ oz) unsalted butter, slightly softened

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For the pistachio frangipane:

• 110 grams (4 oz) shelled, unsalted pistachios

• 110 grams (4 oz) granulated sugar

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

• 60 grams (2 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 tsp rum

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 20 grams (2 tbsp + 1½ tsp) plain (all-purpose) flour

For the filling:

• About 16 fresh figs

• 1 punnet fresh raspberries

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1 Make the brioche. Cut the butter into 20 to 24 pieces, then leave them at room temperature until pliable. Put the flour, yeast and sugar into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough paddle (if using a handheld mixer, use the beater attachments). Stir to evenly combine the ingredients, then mix in the salt, water and eggs. Beat the ingredients to form a rough, shaggy dough. Change the dough paddle (or beater attachments) to a dough hook. With the mixer speed on medium (or medium-high on a handheld mixer) start adding the butter a chunk or two at a time. Beat the dough until the butter is almost fully incorporated before adding more.

2 After all the butter has been incorporated, continue beating for five minutes. By this time, the dough should have formed a soft ball around the dough hook, and will be slapping around the sides of the bowl. If the dough hasn’t formed a ball and is sticking to the sides and bottom of the bowl, beat in flour a little at a time until the dough forms a soft ball. (You don’t want to add an excess of flour or the baked brioche will be hard.) Continue to beat the dough for several minutes, or until it passes the windowpane test: take a small lump of dough and roll it into a ball. Stretch the dough between your fingers to form a rectangle: it is ready if the dough stretches very thin; this shows that the gluten is fully formed. If the dough tears before it stretches, continue to beat it.

3 When the dough is ready, put it into a lightly oiled bowl. Flip the dough over so the oiled side is on top, then cover the bowl with cling film. Leave at room temperature until the dough has almost doubled in size. Remove the cling film, then punch the dough firmly to deflate it. Turn the dough over in the bowl, cover it tightly with cling film, then refrigerate overnight.

4 The next day, make the frangipane. Process the pistachios, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Cut the butter into chunks, add them to the nuts-sugar-salt mixture and process until incorporated. Mix in the egg, rum and vanilla extract, then stir in the flour.

5 Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 degrees Fahrenheit). Scale out 350 grams (12 oz) of the brioche dough and shape it into a disc. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a thin circle that’s about 30cm (12 in) in diameter. Fit the dough into the contours of a fluted tart pan (22cm/9in in diameter and 2.5cm/1in deep) with a removable bottom. Press the brioche against the fluted sides so it adheres, then trim off the excess. Put the trimmings with the rest of the dough, cover with cling film and refrigerate.

6 Spread half of the frangipane over the brioche. Quarter the figs and place them upright over the frangipane, in concentric circles. Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes, then place the raspberries at even intervals between the figs. Bake for about 30 more minutes, or until the frangipane is set and the brioche is brown, firm and fragrant. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

7 Shape the rest of the dough into buns or small loaves. Fill the pans of your choice about halfway with the dough, then let it rise at room temperature until almost doubled. Brush with beaten egg, then bake at 180 degrees. The brioche is ready when it is light, brown, fragrant and firm to the touch.

Styling: Nellie Ming Lee

This recipe is from the Post Magazine archive.