Best Chèvre With Candied Figs Recipes

Chevre and Walnut Tartlets image

Provided by Food Network

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup ruby port
1 cup sugar
12 small figs
1 sheet puff pastry or frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 (4-ounce) log fresh chevre (goat cheese)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts, optional
Rocket greens (arugula), optional

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a saucepan large enough to hold the figs in one layer, heat the port and dissolve the sugar. Set in the figs, cover with a round of parchment, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the figs, and boil the port down to sauce consistency. Set aside.
Cut 4 (4-inch) rounds from the pastry. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lay a second baking sheet on top, and bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, cream the chevre with a spoon, and stir through the cream until smooth. Stir through the rosemary, and season with pepper.
When the pastry is golden, remove the top baking sheet. Spread the rounds with the cheese mixture. Halve the figs and arrange over the cheese, then scatter over the nuts, if using. Bake until the cheese is hot, about 5 minutes. Serve with rocket green, if using, and with a swirl of port syrup on the side.

Chèvre with Candied Figs image

Provided by Linnea Johansson

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

3/4 pound chèvre or other goat cheese
4 fresh figs or 1/2 cup dried
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp of brown muscovado sugar, or brown sugar

Steps:

1. Slice the chèvre log, and place on an oven pan. Cut the figs into rounds.
2. Pour the balsamic vinegar and sugar into a small pot, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the mixture is reduced and sticks to the back of a spoon.
3. If you are using dried figs, place them in the vinegar mixture and let them absorb some of the fluid while the mixture cools.
4. Heat the chèvre cheese slices quickly by using your oven's broiler function for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese has slightly started to melt. Place the cheese on a serving plate, and top it with the candied figs and vinegar mixture. Serve warm.
Simplify:
You can replace muscavado sugar with brown sugar, honey, or regular sugar. Always taste the mixture since the different sugars have different sweetness, and you might have to add more.
For a challenge:
With their peppery honey flavor, Black Mission figs are the best money can buy. Fresh Black Mission figs are only available a few weeks out of the year, so if you happen to come across some, make compotes and freeze for later use.
Muscovado sugar:
The sugar is available in light and dark flavors, and is a raw sugar made from sugar canes. Compared with regular refined sugar, it is less processed and high in mineral content. The darker sugar has a liquorish flavor, and the lighter version has a toffee flavor.