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1
With a wooden spoon, mix together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth and fully incorporated.
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2
Gradually mix in the flour until a paste is formed; use a food mixer if this becomes heavy work.
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3
Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and refrigerate for 2 hours until set and quite firm.
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4
Put plenty of plain flour on your surface, then divide your dough into 4 larger pieces or 6 more modest-sized pieces and roll each to 5mm thick.
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5
Use a saucer or metal cutter to create your round shape.
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6
Brush each disc with egg, then roll one section of the perimeter in to form a rolled edge, then turn the disc a third of a turn and roll again, then repeat for the final side.
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7
This forms the sides of your three-point tart.
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8
Brush with the remaining egg yolk and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
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9
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/gas 4.
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10
To make the filling, trim the figs and cut in half.
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11
Remove the stones from the dates.
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12
Place one fig half, cut side up, in each corner of a tart and a date between each fig half.
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13
Sprinkle liberally with demerara sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crisp.
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14
For the chocolate syrup, bring 100ml water, the sugar and cumin seeds to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the cumin has infused the syrup fully.
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15
Strain the seeds out and blend with the chocolate in a bowl.
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16
Serve the tarts warm or at room temperature with the cumin-chocolate syrup drizzled over the top.
