During the summer and early fall when figs are in season, I often pick up a basket and use them as a garnish for cheese or charcuterie boards. This year, however, I used my cache to craft a sweet confection. I was inspired by two memorable fig desserts I’ve sampled recently. In London last month, at Elystan Street Restaurant in Chelsea, I ordered figs poached in port garnished with a scoop of homemade ice cream and warm lemon beignets. Then, a few weeks later, at Café Carmellini in New York City, I savored a fig and honey tart topped with homemade yogurt sorbet.

For my own creation, I poached figs in port along with sugar and seasonings of cinnamon, cardamon, and orange. Once the figs were done, I removed them and then reduced the cooking liquids to a syrup. For serving, scoops of good quality purchased vanilla ice cream (ginger works well too) were added to sherbet glasses, then topped with warm port syrup and figs. In place of beignets, I crushed a favorite butter cookie bought at a local bakery and sprinkled the crumbles over the dessert.

This dessert looks and tastes as if you spent far more effort preparing it than the short time required. You’ll need to stem and halve the figs, and then add them to a poaching liquid that takes just a few minutes to put together. Depending on their ripeness, count on 5 to 10 minutes of simmering to cook the figs Next, the fruits are removed from the pan and the liquids quickly reduced to a syrup. Finally, the figs are returned to the pan to rest for 45 minutes of unattended time to absorb the assertive flavors of the port and spices. And this recipe has an added bonus for home cooks–the figs can be poached up to two days ahead and refrigerated so that only a quick warming and assembly is all that is necessary at serving time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Figs Poached in Port and Spices with Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream

3 cups tawny port (See market tip.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp powdered cardamom
1 1/4 tsp grated orange zest
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken in half
8 fresh ripe Black Mission figs (about 10 to 12 oz), stems removed and figs halved lengthwise
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 qt best-quality vanilla ice cream
1 to 2 buttery shortbread cookies or gingersnaps or a small almond or nut biscotti (See cooking tip)
6 mint sprigs, optional

1.Place port, sugar, cardamom, orange zest, and cinnamon stick halves in a 9-inch deep-sided skillet (cast iron works especially well) or in a 2- quart heavy saucepan (preferably one that is 7 1/2 to 8 inches in diameter) over medium heat. Stir well to mix the sugar with the port and then bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the halved figs, cut sides down, and cook until they are tender when gently pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes or more. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the mixture at a gentle simmer. While cooking the figs, use a spoon to ladle some of the liquids over the fruit occasionally. Cooking time can vary depending on the ripeness of the figs. When done, remove figs with a slotted spoon to a shallow bowl or dish and set aside.

2.Return the skillet or saucepan to medium-high heat and cook until the poaching liquid has reduced to 3/4 cup and is somewhat syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 8 minutes or more. Watch carefully so that the liquids do not become too thick. Cool the sauce 5 minutes, then stir in the balsamic vinegar. and return the figs to the pan. Let the figs rest in the syrup for 45 minutes. (The figs can be prepared 2 days ahead; cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring gently, until figs are heated through and sauce, which can be quite thick when chilled, is warm, but not simmering.)

3.To serve, add two scoops of ice cream to four sherbet glasses or wide-mouthed wine or martini glasses. Ladle some warm sauce and figs over the ice cream in each glass, and sprinkle with cookie crumbles, If desired, add a mint sprig as a garnish to each glass.
Serves 4

Market tip. I like to use tawny port for this dish. My favorite is Croft Reserve Tawny Port which runs about $22 a bottle. However, you can use any port to prepare this dessert.

Cooking tip: Use whatever cookie you like as the garnish. Walker’s shortbread cookies which are available in most groceries, Trader Joe’s super-thin gingersnap cookies, or crispy almond or nut biscotti would work.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2024