Our figs are ready so it’s time to get them off the tree before the birds do. Here in NZ we have two common varieties being
- Black mission, the darkest and sweetest of the figs,. Commonly dried with it molasses type sweetness. Works really well with dark chocolate or wrapped in a piece of salty prosciutto.
- Brown turkey, this is the variety we have on the farm. Not as sweet as the black mission making them a great fig for salads and the like, as the flavour won’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. If you want them to be a touch sweeter, simply drizzle them with a touch of honey and roast them.
It’s hard to tell sometimes when a fig is ready to use, so I’ve attached a picture to make that a little clearer.
Figgy and oozy caramel loaf
Fig topping
- 125g butter
- 150g brown sugar
- 6 figs, stem removed, skin on, halved
Line a small cake loaf tin approx. 20cm x 12cm with greaseproof paper and then grease with a touch of butter. Melt butter in saucepan over a low heat. Add sugar and stir over heat until the mix becomes foamy and pale (2-3 minutes). Pour evenly into the greased loaf tin. Place the half figs, flesh side down and set aside.
Cake batter
- 225g butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 tbsp milk
- 100g LSA (A combination of ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 150g plain flour
- yogurt for serving
Preheat oven to 180*C. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs together with milk. Gradually add eggs to butter and sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in LSA, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Gently fold in flour. Pour cake mixture over figs, place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before sliding a warm knife around the edge of the dish to loosen. Carefully invert to turn loaf out onto a board
Serve with a good dollop of yogurt on the side.