Fresh Figs And Raspberries With Mint Infused Ganache Recipes

FIG AND RASPBERRY CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the fresh figs, cut side up, in a buttered 2-quart baking or gratin dish. Sprinkle the dried figs and raspberries around and on top of the fresh figs. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, combine the flour, 1 1/4 cups of the cream, the sugar, eggs, and salt. Process until well-mixed, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter over the fruit. Sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds. Bake in the middle of the oven until the top is golden and the batter is slightly firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and let it cool for 15 minutes. In the meantime, combine the remaining 1-cup cream with the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla, and whip until soft peaks form. Spoon the clafoutis onto individual plates, and serve with whipped cream.

FRESH FIGS AND RASPBERRIES WITH MINT INFUSED GANACHE

Steps:

• Combine cream and chopped mint in saucepan, and bring to a boil, then quickly remove from heat, cover, and allow mint to steep for 5 minutes.
• Next, place chocolate in a bowl and set a strainer over it.
• When the cream has steeped, pour it through the strainer, pressing gently on the mint to extract all the cream.
• Discard mint.
• Gently stir cream-and-chocolate mixture until it is nice and smooth and chocolate is melted.
• Let cool just until the consistency of a thick sauce.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce into 6 to 8 individual bowls.
• Scatter figs and raspberries over sauce.
• Drizzle remaining sauce over fruit.
• Sprinkle with toasted almonds, garnish with mint sprigs, and serve.
• Enjoy!
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
• Note: You can cool the ganache completely and rewarm it very gently in its pan, set over another pan of barely simmering water.
• Stuffed Fig Variation: Cut figs into halves instead of quarters. Cool the ganache to a soft, spreadable consistency. Spread a mound of the ganache on the cut surface of each fig and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

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.

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.

ROASTED FIGS WITH CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• To make the ganache, combine the chocolate, espresso, sugar and salt in a double boiler and heat over barely simmering water. Whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream and transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
• To make the figs, combine the Brown Butter, honey, and Kosher salt in a bowl and toss with the figs to coat. Place the figs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with any remaining syrup. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until completely soft and slightly dry. Baste with any remaining juices.
• To serve, puddle about 2 tablespoons ganache on each of 6 plates and smear lightly across the dish. Top with the figs, about 3 per person. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Add a generous sprinkle of fleur de sel, if you like, and garnish with a mint leaf or two.
• Brown Butter
• Place the butter in a cold saucepan and set on the stove over medium heat. It will soon begin to melt and sizzle. After the butter melts completely, 2 to 3 minutes, it will begin to foam as the milk solids separate out. As these solids drop to the bottom of the pan, they will toast and the butter will take on a brownish color and a toasty aroma. Watch the heat carefully during this time to make sure the solids do not burn, lowering the heat if needed. When the butter stops foaming and is a light brown color, remove immediately from the heat and pour through a sieve or a coffee filter to separate out the solids, which you can discard.
• This will make more brown butter than you need for the figs. Try tossing it with vegetables or drizzling over fish. It will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.