Instructions: Crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almonds with the fennel and aniseeds, breaking into coarse crumbs. Add 1 cup flour, 6 tablespoons butter, sugar, and salt and pulse 10 to 12 times to create the texture of coarse crumbs. Add the egg mixture and pulse 8 to 10 times, just until the pastry begins to come together.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured board and form into a ball. Flatten the ball and press the dough onto the surface of a buttered 10-inch tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prick the surface of the pastry with a fork and bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until it is firm and pale gold. Cool thoroughly.

Filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, bay leaf, aniseeds, and fennel seeds over high heat and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and let the cream infuse and reduce by 1/3. Remove the pan from the flame, cover and permit to cool. Strain the cream and add the egg and confectioners sugar, blending carefully.

Starting at the base, slit each fig almost in half, leaving stem end intact. Stuff each fig with an almond, press the halves together, and stand each fig up in the pastry shell.

Pour the custard around the figs. Dust the top with brown sugar and bake for 25 minutes, or until the custard is set and crusted dark gold. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove the tin, and cool 20 minutes before serving.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

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