Dry Figs Recipes.....I Hope You Like Them....

Dry figs with Ricotta and Almonds in Phyllo Dough

Long time ago, in a friend's home, I tried this pastry......and I felt in love with it!!.....It was creamy, yummy, tasty, and even make me forget that I was eating a tart with dry figs. I have not make it this recipe in a long time, and I wanted to remember its taste.....

Nevertheless, as many of you, I cook when I can......and sometimes that means late at night. Therefore, when I think I am ready with all the ingredients, Murphy's law is always present to tell me that something is not in place. I had everything, including my desire to make and eat it, when I notice that I did not have whipping cream (and it was after 9pm....no time to go to the supermarket again  :(....). Therefore, I had to make my own version with my own "thick cream".......Here is the recipe (and how I transformed it):

1 package of frozen puff pastry

300 grams of dried figs  (I use less, and you will see how much will use according to the size of your oven dish)

2 cups of cream (10%) (I had to make 2 cups of milk with 2 spoons of corn starch to make a "thick cream")

3 eggs

1/2 cup sliced almonds

40 grams sugar (I used brown sugar, you can use more or less depending on your taste)

1 teaspoon of each anise, and cardamom crushed seeds

Seeds of 1/2 vanilla beans

Brown sugar to sprinkle

In a bowl, cover the figs with boiling water. Set aside and drain them when they are re-hydrated. Cut the stems, and slice them. Set aside.

Original recipe: Place the whipping cream in a pot with the crushed anise and cardamom seeds. Let it simmer at low heat for 7 minutes. Strain the cream, and discard the seeds. Mix with the sugar and vanilla beans, and taste for sweetens. Set aside.

My version: Mix the milk with two spoons of corn starch. Heat it until starts to get thick. Set aside for cooling (I put it in the freezer to speed up the process). Place this cold cream in a pot with the crushed anise and cardamom seeds. Let it simmer at low heat for 7 minutes. Strain the cream, and discard the seeds. Mix with the sugar and vanilla beans, and taste for sweetnes. Set aside.

Cook the puff pastry in an oven proof dish according to the instructions, until is half way cooked. Take it out from the oven.

Mix the eggs with the cold cream. Add the slice almonds, and stir it. Place this mix over the puff pastry that is half-way cooked. Decorate with the figs at your desire. Place it in a pre heated oven at 370F for 25 minutes, or until is fully cooked (stick test). When is almost ready, sprinkle with brown sugar and use the broiler for two minutes. Let it cool and enjoy!! 

My "thick cream"

Steps.....

Do you want a piece?

I love pastries from the Middle-East.....the mix of honey, nuts and honey is very appealing to me. Before making this pastry, I made Spinakopitas; therefore, I had some phyllo pastry sheets leftovers that I used to create this pastry. I'm very happy with the result. We ate it for breakfast, and with coffee. 

220 grams of ricotta

2 tablespoons of corn starch

1 egg

1/2 cup of slice almonds

7 dried figs

35 grams of sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

10 phyllo dough sheets

Melted butter and olive oil to brush the phyllo dough

Honey

In a bowl, cover the figs with boiling water. Set aside and drain them when they are re-hydrated. Cut the stems, and slice or chopp them. Set aside.

Mix the ricotta with the corn starch. Here the ricotta is very watery; therefore, I used the corn starch to dry it before I put it into the oven. thus, it will not run out. If you use a dry ricotta, then you probably would not need the corn starch.

Add the sugar, and taste for sweetness. Then, add the egg and almonds to the ricotta mix. Add the fig pieces, and stir it.

Take one phyllo sheet, brush it with a mix of melted butter and olive oil, and fold it in half (in the longest side). You will have a long rectangle. Put the phyllo dough rectangle in front of you. Place a full spoon of the figs and ricotta mix (more or less depending on you), at the beginning of the rectangle, but in the middle, leaving 1/3 of each border free of the mix. Fold in the sides to the centre along the rectangle. Then, roll up the filling in the phyllo dough in a cigars shape. Brush it with a mix of melted butter and olive oil. Put in a pre-heated oven at 375 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool, and put honey on top.....Enjoy it!!

Ricotta and Figs in Phyllo Dough in Cigars Shape

For you to see the filling.....

Recetas con Higos.....una Deliciosa Recompensa

Tenía una larga lista de nuevas recetas para probar los higos, pero sólo tres cajas de 12 higos cada una (36 higos preciosos). Por desgracia, los higos no son muy comunes aquí, y compramos lo que encontramos. Por lo tanto, decidimos hacer tres diferentes pasteles dulces de higos con 8 cada uno (24 higos), y disfrutar de 12 higos para comerlos solos ....

Sin embargo, nuestro enfoque matemático se fue a la basura después de haber probado la primera receta ..... Nos gusto mucho, y la hicimos dos veces. Por lo tanto, utilizamos 7.5 higos en cada una de las primeras tartas (15 higos), 7 de higos en la segunda, y 6 higos en la tercera receta ..... Sólo comimos 8 higos frescos, pero realmente los disfrutamos. Aquí están las recetas.

Tarta de Almendras e Higos (la hicimos dos veces)

Para la masa: (usted puede usar su masa quebrada favorita también)
230 gramos de harina
110 gramos de mantequilla fría (cortada en cubos pequeños)
40 gramos de azúcar en polvo
Una semilla de cardamomo finamente molida (se puede evitar el cardamomo si no le gusta)
Agua fría
Una pizca de sal

Para el relleno
7-8 higos
1 / 2 taza de almendras en rodajas
1 taza de queso crema
1 taza de yogur griego bien grueso (véase la foto)
3 huevos
1 / 2 taza de azúcar (se puede utilizar más o menos)
Unas gotas de esencia de almendra
Unas gotas de esencia de vainilla
Las semillas de 1 / 2 vaina de vainilla

En un procesador de alimentos, mezcle la harina, la mantequilla, el azúcar, cardamomo, y sal. Agregue el agua (en pequeñas cantidades), hasta obtener una masa suave que no se pegue en las manos. Hacer una bola y dejar reposar en el refrigerador durante 30 minutos. Utilice un uslero, y lleve la masa al espesor que desee (en mi caso la hice de 0,5 cm). Póngalo en una fuerte para horno horno, previamente enmantequillada y enharinada, y cubra la masa con granos. Precaliente el horno a 380F y cocine por 10 minutos, o hasta que esté cocinado a medio hacer. Sacarlo del horno, y desechar los granos (se puede volver a utilizarlos más adelante para otra tartaleta).
Lavar los higos y cortarlos por la mitad. Reservar. Batir los huevos con el azúcar hasta que este cremosa. Agregar el queso crema, y el yogur griego (véase la foto). Mezclar bien.

Yo hago mi propio yogur Griego, pero para cocinar 

me gusta bien grueso y cremoso.Por lo tanto, lo cuelo por 

lo menos durante una hora, para obtener asi una crema gruesa.

Saque la tarta (que está a medio cocinar), y distribuya  las almendras en rodajas. Sobre ellas, ponga la mezcla de yogur griego, queso y huevos. Distribuir los higos, y sumergirlos. Espolvorear con azúcar en la parte superior de cada higo. Póngalo en el horno precalentado a 375F durante 30 minutos, o hasta que esté cocido (la prueba del palo). Disfrute de esta tarta!!

 

 

 

 

  

Pastel de Higos y Vainilla

7 higos

3 huevos

100 gramos de azúcar

140 gramos de harina

60 gramos de almidón de maíz (maicena)

350 gramos de yogur griego (no tiene que ser grueso)

2 cucharadita de polvo para hornear

Una pizca de sal

Mantequilla

Unas gotas de esencia de vainilla

Semillas de 1 / 2 de una vainas de vainilla

Lavar los higos y cortarlos en círculos. Reservarlos. Batir los huevos y el azúcar durante dos minutos. Añadir la harina, almidón de maíz (maicena), polvo de hornear y la sal. Incorporar el yogur griego y mezclar bien. Engrasar con mantequilla un molde para horno, y enharinarlo. Ponga la mezcla, y en la parte superior distribuya los higos. Coloque en el horno precalentado a 375F por 35-45 minutos, o hasta que esté cocido (prueba del palito). Que lo disfruten!

  

 

Y por ultimo pero no menos importante.....

Todos conocen el fabuloso blog de Carmen Dulces Bocados ......y desde que vi sus  higos con mascarpone, supe que tenia que hacerla. Me recuerda unas frutillas rellenas con mascarpone y licor de frutilla que solia hacer (aca no hay licor de frutillas). Usted puede ver la receta en el siguiente enlace http://www.dulcesbocados.com/2010/08/higos-con-mascarpone.html ; Sin embargo, le invito a disfrutar de las fotos!!....

  

La proxima receta es con higos secos....

Fig recipes....a Delicious Reward

I had a long list of new fig recipes to try, but only three boxes of 12 figs each (36 precious figs). Unfortunately, figs are not very common here, and we bought what we found. Therefore, we decided to make three different sweet pies with 8 figs each one (24 figs), and enjoy 12 figs by eating them alone....

However, our mathematical approach went to the garbage after we tried the first recipe.....We like it that much, that I make it twice. Therefore, we used 7.5 figs in each of the first tarte (15 figs), 7 figs in the second one, and 6 figs in the third recipe.....we only ate 8 fresh figs, but we really enjoyed them. Here are the recipes.

Almond Fig Tart (we make it twice)

For the dough: (you can use your favourite pie crust as well) 

230 grams of flour

110 grams of cold butter (cutted in small cubes)

40 grams of sugar powder

1 cardamom seed finely crushed (you can avoid the cardamom if you don't like it)

Cold water

Pinch of salt

For the filling

7-8 figs

1/2 cup of sliced almonds

1 cup of cream cheese 

1 cup of thick Greek yogurt (see the picture)

3 eggs

1/2 cup of sugar (you can use more or less)

Few drops of almond essence

Few drops of vanilla essence

Seeds of 1/2 of a vanilla beans

In a food processor, mix the flour, butter, sugar, cardamom seed and salt. Add water (in small amounts), until you have a soft dough that don't sticks into your hands. Make a ball, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Use a roll pin, and roll it to the desire thickness (in my case it was about 0.5 cm). Put it into an oven safe bowl, and cover it with beans. Preheat the oven at 380F, and cook it for 10 minutes, or until it is half way cooked. Take it out from the oven, and discard the beans (you can reuse them later for another pie).

Wash the figs, and cut them in half. Set aside. Beat the eggs with the sugar until they are double and creamy. Add the cream cheese, and the Greek yoghurt (see the picture). Mix it well.

I make my own Greek yoghurt, but I like it very thick 

for cooking purposes. Therefore, I strain it for 1 hour 

to have a very thick cream.

Over the pie (that is half way cooked), spread the sliced almonds. On top, put the mix of Greek yoghurt, cheese, and eggs. Distribute the figs, and submerge them. Sprinkle with sugar on top of each one. Put it into a preheated oven at 375F for 30 minutes, or until is cooked (the stick test). Enjoy this pie!!

 

 

 

 

  

Vanilla Fig Cake

7 figs

3 eggs

100 grams of sugar

140 grams of flour

60 grams of corn starch

350 grams of Greek yoghurt

2 teaspoon of baking powder

Pinch of salt

Butter

Few drops of vanilla essence

Seeds of 1/2 of a vanilla beans

Wash the figs, and cut them in circles. Reserve it. Beat the eggs and sugar for two minutes. Add the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Incorporate the Greek yoghurt and mix it well. Grease with butter an oven safe pan, and dust it with flour. Put the mix, and on top distribute the figs. Place it in a preheated oven at 375F for 35-45 minutes, or until is cooked (stick test). Enjoy it!!

  

 

The last, but not the least.....

Everybody knows the fabulous blog Carmen from Dulces Bocados ......and since I saw her figs and mascarpone recipe, I knew I had to make it. It reminds me a strawberry filled with mascarpone and strawberry liquor that I used to make. You can see her recipe in the following link http://www.dulcesbocados.com/2010/08/higos-con-mascarpone.html ; however, I invite you to enjoy the pictures....

The next recipe is with dry figs.....