Figs With Creme Fraiche And Raspberry Coulis Recipes

CARAMELIZED FIGS WITH HONEY, THYME AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Spoon the honey over the cut sides of the figs. Heat a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the butter - it should sizzle briskly when it hits the pan. Throw in the thyme sprigs, followed by the figs, cut sides down. Leave undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes to caramelize, then turn the figs over and cook for another minute.
• Transfer the figs to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat and add about 5 tablespoons water. Simmer, scraping the caramelized honey with a spoon. Pour this sauce over the figs and serve warm with generous spoonfuls of crème fraîche and a few extra thyme leaves.

RASPBERRY AND FIG GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange raspberries and figs in 10-inch-diameter broilerproof baking dish. Stir sour cream until smooth; spoon evenly over fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil close to heat source until brown sugar melts and bubbles, about 4 minutes. Garnish with mint and serve warm.

FIG & RASPBERRY CRUMBLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin. Make the crumble topping by rubbing the flour and butter together with your fingertips until you have a crumbly mixture. Stir in the sugar.
• For the cake, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Sift the flour and add the almonds and baking powder. Fold in 1 large tbsp of the flour mixture into the batter, then add the rest, alternating with the yogurt.
• Snip the stalks off the figs. Halve four of them and chop the rest. Stir the chopped figs and one-third of the raspberries into the batter, then scrape into the prepared tin. Lay the halved figs on top and sprinkle on half the remaining raspberries. Scatter on the crumble, then the rest of the raspberries, then the flaked almonds.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hr 15 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (check it after 1 hr). Leave in the tin for about 15 mins, then run a palette knife around the outside of the cake, carefully unclasp the surround, remove the base and the parchment, and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with crème fraîche.

FIGS WITH CREME FRAICHE AND RASPBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• Cook the raspberries in a nonreactive pan with the sugar until they turn mushy and the sugar has melted. Press them through a sieve.
• Wipe the figs with a clean kitchen towel and cut off the stems.
• Pour a small pool of the sauce onto four individual plates. Slice the figs in quarters and arrange them in a circle on the plates. Put a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream in the center and top with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately with thin sugar cookies on the side.