Fig Walnut Slice Recipes

FIG & WALNUT SLICE

Steps:

• Pulse the almonds in a food processor until most are finely chopped. Remove and transfer to a bowl. Whizz the figs until they form a sticky paste, then add this to the almonds with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, then shape into a sausage and allow to dry, uncovered, in the fridge or a cool, dry place for a week.
• Wrap and tie in baking parchment if giving away, then slice and serve alongside your favourite cheeses. Will keep in a cool place for up to 2 months.

WALNUT + FIG SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 15minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned on the edges. Keep an eye on them after 10 minutes of roasting, as they can easily burn. Set them aside to cool down completely
• Line an 8-inch (20-cm) baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the surplus to hang over the edges.
• To make the base, chop the dried figs into small pieces to ease the blending as they can be pretty tough. Grind the cooled roasted nuts in a food processor and add the chopped figs, coconut, oil, salt, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Continue processing until you get a sticky soft dough that holds together when pressed between your fingers.
• Press it evenly and firmly on the bottom of the dish to make the base. Place in the freezer or refrigerator while you make the filling.
• To make the filling, wash and drain the soaked cashews, place them in the blender with the syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and water. Blend until creamy and smooth. If the mixture is too thick to blend, stir the mixture and adda little bit of water, 1tablespoon (15 ml) at the time, and continue blending. Be careful not to add too much water, as the filling might be too runny and will not set in the refrigerator.
• When ready, pour the filling over the chilled base, shake the dish gently and tap it on the countertop to smooth the top and eliminate any air bubbles. Cover it and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To decorate the cake, slice the fresh figs into thin slices and arrange them to cover the filling.Return it to the refrigerator to set for at least 6 hours. I recommend leaving it to set overnight if possible. If you're in a hurry, you can speed things up by placing it in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours.
• Serve straight from the refrigerator, as the slices will soften if left at room temperature.
• These will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 10 days. You can also freeze them for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 30 to 45 minutes or 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

CREAM CHEESE, DRIED FIG, AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Add figs to the container or a food processor; finely chop.
• Add in the cream cheese; process until combined.
• Add in the walnuts and salt; pulse just to blend.
• Scrape mixture into a bowl.
• Add in the scallions, if desired; stir to combine.
• Note--to finely chop figs in a food processor, lightly brush or spray the inside of the processor bowl and metal blade with vegetable oil; if the figs are unusually dry, reconstitute them in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain, and blot dry before chopping.

FIG AND WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and anise. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until they're pale yellow and hold a ribbon for 1 second when whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in zest.
• Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in figs and walnuts. Lightly spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough in half on parchment. Spray hands with cooking spray; form each piece of dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cut each log on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.