Honey-and-Thyme Poached Figs
1 cup Sauternes or other dessert wine
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pound Calimyrna figs, stemmed, halved,
and each half cut into 5 thin strips
1 tablespoon julienne strips of lemon zest
Accompaniment:
mascarpone or crème fraîche
In a saucepan bring the wine and apple juice to boil with the honey,
thyme and vanilla. Simmer the mixture 3 minutes. Add the figs and
simmer the mixture, covered partially, 5 minutes or until the figs are
very soft. Serve the figs warm with the syrup in stemmed glasses
topped with mascarpone or crème fraîche and lemon zest.
Fig Flowers
12 large fresh figs, stemmed
1/4 cup orange liqueur, such
as Grand Marnier
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
Garnish: orange rind strips
Stand figs upright; slice from stem end into 5 or 6 wedges, cutting to, but
not through, bottom. Gently separate wedges to resemble a flower. Place
figs on a serving plate; drizzle with liqueur. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add honey, whipping cream, and sour cream; beat 1 minute. Pipe or dollop mixture
onto center of each fig. Garnish with orange rind strips.
Figs with Prosciutto, Walnuts and Cream
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup whipping cream
12 fresh figs, stemmed
12 thin slices prosciutto (4 ounces)
24 walnut halves
Combine mint leaves and lemon juice in a small bowl; crush mint with
the back of a spoon. Let stand 20 minutes; remove and discard mint. Stir whipping cream into lemon juice and let stand until slightly thickened. Cut
figs in half lengthwise; cut prosciutto in half. Place a walnut half on each
fig half; wrap each with a piece of prosciutto and place on rack of a broiler
pan. Broil 5 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially open) 2 to
3 minutes. Pour cream mixture onto individual serving plates, and arrange
wrapped fig halves over cream mixture. 6 appetizer servings.
Marinated Grilled Figs
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, pressed
12 large fresh figs, stemmed
1/4 cup whipping cream
Combine red wine, orange juice, ginger and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag. Pierce figs several times and place in bag. Seal and chill 1 to 2 hours. Remove figs from marinade, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a heavy saucepan. Cook marinated figs, covered with grill lid, over medium-hot coals (350 to 400 degrees F) about 5 minutes, turning once. Bring marinade to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in whipping cream, and spoon over figs. 4 servings.
Note: Figs may be broiled 5 inches from heat (with electric oven door
partially open) 3 to 5 minutes.
Sugar-Crusted Figs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds fresh figs, stemmed
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine 1 tablespoon vanilla and 1/4 cup water in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Dip each fig in mixture and dredge in sugar, coating each thickly. Place figs into lightly greased individual shallow baking dishes. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes. Combine whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spoon mixture over warm figs. Yield: 4 servings.
Buttermilk Fig Cake
Cake:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups fig preserves, figs chopped
into large pieces
1 cup chopped pecans
Icing::
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cake: Into a bowl sift together flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl with electric mixer cream together butter and sugar
until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Beat mixture until it is combined well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, a little at a time, beating, beat the batter until it is just combined and stir in preserves and pecans. Spoon the batter into a buttered 10-inch
(3-quart) Bundt pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Let cake cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes, invert it onto the rack and let it cool completely.
For the icing: In a deep heavy saucepan combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, buttermilk and soda. Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring, and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side of the pan with a brush dipped
in cold water, until sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to boil and boil it, undisturbed, until it reaches the soft-ball stage (238 degrees F. on candy thermometer). Remove the pan from heat, stir in the vanilla and let icing
cool for 1 minute. Transfer the cake to a platter and drizzle it with the icing.
Featured Archive Recipes:
Apple, Fig and Blackberry Cobbler
Arroz con Leche with Sangria Figs
and Cherries (Daniel Boulud)
Black Mission Fig Terrine
Fresh Figs
More Fresh Figs
Honeyed Fig, Pear and
Kumquat Compote