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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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It’s not hard to image wealthy Romans reclining on couches and enjoying this timeless treat. This is a luxurious, simple but sophisticated, not-too-sweet dessert. I like to prepare this early in the day so that the figs can really imbibe in all these flavors. Ingredients:
2 bottles of dry white wine (such as chenin blanc, sauterne, sauvignon blanc, soave classico, or pino grigio |
2 c water |
1 1/2 c honey |
4 bay leaves |
1 t whole fennel seeds |
zest of 1 orange |
6 whole cloves |
freshly ground black pepper |
a few whole red or pink peppercorns |
2 cinnamon sticks, about 4” each |
1 pound dried figs |
1 cup mascarpone, crème fraiche, or unsweetened whipped heavy cream |
Directions:
1. Combine the wine, water, honey and seasonings in a pan. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling until reduced by about one half. Taste, and adjust seasoning or sweetness as needed. Add the figs and simmer about 20 minutes. Cover and let sit until dessert time. If that’s going to be longer than about 4 hours, put in the refrigerator.
2. Before serving, remove the figs from the syrup. When I was first shown this dish, I was taught to strain the syrup at this point, but I really prefer it unstrained. Boil the syrup until it’s reduced by about a half again. Return the figs to the syrup. Complete this step just before serving dinner so that the syrup will have cooled to about room temperature by dessert time.
3. Serve either in pretty little dessert bowls or plates, 2 figs per serving. Place a dollop of mascarpone, crème fraiche, or unsweetened whipped cream beside the figs, and drizzle with syrup.
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