“BUILDING A DESSERT ON AN UNLIKELY FLAVOR CAN ALSO BE RISKY BUSINESS. IF IT’S WARM AND CHOCOLATE, IT’S NIRVANA FOR MOST PEOPLE. BUT I CAN’T GIVE AWAY PRUNE DESSERTS.” Claudia Fleming
Claudia Fleming is an amazing pastry chef from New York City. But I think I know how she feels! From birthday cakes to figs! Will I have any takers??? But you know, sometimes a sweet treat, for me, is as simple as a fig. I imagine this is a fruit that one loves or hates….or feels ambivalent about! But for me….I LOVE them. And while I love them fresh and unadulterated; when I cook them….I always enjoy adding a savory component like mascarpone cheese. Even so…it makes for a very light dessert (or breakfast or lunch even!) Let me tempt you with a pretty plate of them…….
See? Doesn’t this look delightful?!
This recipe is very quick and easy. Perfect for the middle of the week when you don’t have time to fuss. It creates a sweet, pink juice at the bottom of your baking dish. The next time I think I will use this to sweeten the cream and give it a pretty blush as well. I really love this light little dessert and I hope you will, too!
BAKED FIGS:
9-12 fresh figs
2 TBSP light honey (I used Tupelo Honey because I am particularly sentimental about it!)
Place your figs in a small baking dish, tight enough that the figs can stand upright. Cut an X at the top of the figs so that they open slightly. Drizzle the honey in and around the figs. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes and let them sit under the broiler for the last minute or two.
SWEET MASCARPONE CREAM:
4 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
3 TBSP caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Place all ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed till light and fluffy. (I occasionally add about 1/8 of a tsp of spice, such as cardamom!)
Serve the warm figs with a couple of spoonfuls of the honey juice and a dollop of sweet cream and garnish with pistachios!
Enjoy!!!
This looks so good. I have figs in my fridge and unsure what to do with them.
Kim…you should give this a try! The juice from the figs and the honey is soooo good! : )
This so0unds so good Anne. I love fresh figs (though I admit to loving them preserved even more) and anything with mascarpone is bound to be good
Janet…don’t you just love preserved figs?! I love a little preserved fig spread on a piece of baguette with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of brie….and then warmed in the oven till the brie is all melty and everything is warm and gooey and salty and sweet! : )
Wow – this looks delicious! I love figs! Do you use the Tupelo Honey because…Savannah? If so -that’s a great reason! Savannah is one of my favorite cities! Anyway – great recipe….simple, perfect!
Ann…I am glad I am not the only fig lover here! Actually…I use Tupelo Honey because I have a fond memory of the song by Van Morrison! And I would LOVE to visit Savannah one day. I’m sure there are many awesome restaurants there! : )
I love figs this does look delightful.
YaY! I’m glad I’m not alone in my love of figs! : )
Oh, I really love figs! They are amazing when baked! This recipe is just my kind of thing!
Ruth…some fruit tastes much sweeter when baked! I think this is the case with figs….plus…the honey! : )
I couldn’t agree more with you – these figs are so divine and nothing to beat them. Love it with the mascarpone, too. Beauties!
Jill….these beauties became prettier when baked! : )
Your figs look like beautiful flowers!
Maris! They do look like a bouquet of sorts! I love their colors! Thanks! : )
Hello Anne. First I want to thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting so nicely about my potatoes. But I also want to tell you how much I LOVE this recipe with figs. I can feel their taste in my mouth, looking at your pictures. I am drooling
Have a nice day ~hugs~
Brindusa! You have a lovely blog! I am glad you are a fellow fig lover! Hope you enjoy the rest of your week! : )
Those are totally enticing! I’ve never had baked figs before…but they look delicious
This was my first fig baking experience, too. But I was happy that they turned out nice and sweet! : )
Figs are a rarity in our house, but that does not mean that we do not like them! We do not see a lot of them at our grocers. However, I will keep an eye out because your marscapone laced figs look awesome-yum!
Tina…I can relate! I never see figs in my local market. But sometimes I see them in Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and I scarf them up and think about what to do with them later! I stumbled upon these unexpectedly and I’m glad I did! : )
I must try to eat more figs. I never buy them…but your recipe is making me want to go and buy them right now. YUM! LOVELY~
Ramona….I don’t have them often enough either. Like Janet….I usually prefer to get preserved figs. You should try that too, if you haven’t already! : )
Anne,
These look delicious and as sweet as Tupelo Honey! Nice work as always!
Hello friend…..I thought you might relate! : ) Thank you again for those beautiful measuring spoons! I am going to show them off in an upcoming post! XO
Oh, this looks amazing! But, it’s so hard to get figs here in Seattle ;-( Perhaps baking them will help.
Hi Mikaela!! You know….if you can find figs…baking will definitely help bring out the sweetness (and the honey helps!) And I hope to visit Seattle one day….rain or shine! : )
I think a juicy sweet fruit always turns out a much better sweet treat and i love what you did. Mascarpone and fig.. awsm combination!
Thanks so much! And I agree! I need to use fruit more often! And every season has a great one….so I have no excuse! : )
I adore figs, and those look sensational!
Thanks Angie!!! : )
Simply delightful. Thank you for sharing with me tonight. I’m glad I stumbled upon your blog! I hope you have a beautiful Sunday full of laughter, love and more good food!
Hello Monet! I’m glad you stumbled upon me too! And for taking the time to write such lovely comments. It is much appreciated! : )
That looks great! I haven’t had figs since I lived in Texas. As a kid, we had 2 fig trees in the backyard. I loved eating them right off the tree.
I need to find some fresh figs at a market somewhere around here.
Thanks Curt! I love figs, though I can’t always find them either! You were so lucky to have fig trees growing up. I once had the opportunity to taste a fig right off the tree and it was divine! I imagine, like peaches and other fruits, there must be a good way to grill them! : )
LOVE fresh figs and they are RIPE right now! What a great dessert
Tiffany…as much as I like ooey gooey things…..I also love simplicity. These figs don’t get much better than that! And thank you! : )