Laneya
05-13-2005, 04:40 PM
........And then I am done wreaking havoc for the day ;-)
Figs Stuffed with Chocolate and Almonds
Although the combination might not seem obvious at first glance, one taste of these confections shows how well suited dried figs are to the rich tastes and textures of chocolate and almonds. Serve this after-dinner sweet with a glass of good Portuguese port or Madeira.
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds, plus 12 whole blanched almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 large dried figs
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the slivered and whole almonds on a baking sheet, keeping them separate. Bake until toasted and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Set aside the 12 whole almonds. Leave the oven set at 350 degrees F.
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the sugar, slivered almonds and chocolate. Use rapid on-off pulses to form a coarse paste.
Cut off the stems from the figs. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a small slit 1 inch deep in the top of each fig. Using a small spoon, stuff each slit with about 1 teaspoon of the almond-chocolate mixture. Pinch the openings closed. As the figs are stuffed, place them on a baking sheet, stem sides up.
Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the figs over and continue to bake until softened, about 5 minutes longer.
Remove from the oven and press a whole almond into the slit. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Blue Cheese Strudel
1 cup diced dried figs (about 10 figs)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup apricot nectar
1/3 cup honey
Butter-flavored cooking spray
2 cups coarsely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and vinegar; cook 20 minutes or until deep golden, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in fig mixture and cheese. Set aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, coat remaining 7 phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
Spoon onion mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of onion mixture on each end.
Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. (Do not roll tightly, or strudel may split.) Place strudel, seam side down, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Score diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. Lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top. Serve warm.
Figs Stuffed with Chocolate and Almonds
Although the combination might not seem obvious at first glance, one taste of these confections shows how well suited dried figs are to the rich tastes and textures of chocolate and almonds. Serve this after-dinner sweet with a glass of good Portuguese port or Madeira.
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds, plus 12 whole blanched almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 large dried figs
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the slivered and whole almonds on a baking sheet, keeping them separate. Bake until toasted and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool. Set aside the 12 whole almonds. Leave the oven set at 350 degrees F.
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the sugar, slivered almonds and chocolate. Use rapid on-off pulses to form a coarse paste.
Cut off the stems from the figs. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a small slit 1 inch deep in the top of each fig. Using a small spoon, stuff each slit with about 1 teaspoon of the almond-chocolate mixture. Pinch the openings closed. As the figs are stuffed, place them on a baking sheet, stem sides up.
Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the figs over and continue to bake until softened, about 5 minutes longer.
Remove from the oven and press a whole almond into the slit. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Blue Cheese Strudel
1 cup diced dried figs (about 10 figs)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup apricot nectar
1/3 cup honey
Butter-flavored cooking spray
2 cups coarsely chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and vinegar; cook 20 minutes or until deep golden, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in fig mixture and cheese. Set aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, coat remaining 7 phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
Spoon onion mixture along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of onion mixture on each end.
Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. (Do not roll tightly, or strudel may split.) Place strudel, seam side down, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Score diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. Lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top. Serve warm.