Baked figs are sweetened with honey, kicked up with Scotch whiskey, and topped with toasted hazelnuts for a light dessert that is far from ordinary.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Scotch or other whiskey
- 8 large or 12 small Mission figs, stemmed
- Butter-flavor spray
- Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
Preparation:
Toast hazelnuts in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes. Put them in a tea towel and rub them against each other to remove skins. Chop and set aside. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees F.Combine honey and Scotch whiskey in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, cut figs in half, lengthwise. Spray an gratin dish large enough to hold all the figs in one layer with butter-flavor spray. Put in figs, cut side up. Drizzle with honey-Scotch mixture. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.
Bake 7 to 10 minutes, depending on size, or just until they soften but are not falling apart. Cool to warm and put 4 to 6 fig halves on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon pan juices over figs. If desired, put a mint sprig in the middle.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: Cooking to Beat the Clock by Sam Gugino (Chronicle Books)
Reprinted with permission.
