How about fig newtons?


FIG NEWTONS

DOUGH/CRUST:

3 c. unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. corn syrup
1 drop lemon extract
1 drop orange extract
2 egg whites
1 tsp. lemon juice

Put all the dough ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat for three to four minutes with an electric mixer set at medium speed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for two hours.

FILLING:

2 1/2 lbs. fresh figs
1/4 c. orange juice
4 tbsp. honey

While the dough is chilling, make the filling. Wash and drain the figs, then cut off their tops and halve them. Puree the figs in a food processor. Pour the puree into a nonstick saucepan and add the orange juice and honey, combining well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. This will yield about 1 1/2 cups of filling.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator (after two hours) and divide it into four parts. Roll each part out to a rectangle about 11 x 5 inches and one quarter inch thick (use extra flour if necessary). Spread about 1/3 cup of filling on one section of the dough. Then fold over each side to make a seam. Using two metal spatulas, turn the dough with the seam side down.

Place the rolled dough on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other three sections of dough. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool, then cut each roll into six cookies.

Makes 24 fig newtons.



FIG NEWTON BARS

DOUGH:

1 c. butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix butter, eggs, lemon juice, brown sugar, and vanilla well. Add flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Mix well and chill.

FIG FILLING:

1 1/2 c. ground figs (1 lb. whole figs) or dates and/or raisins
1 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. nuts
2 tbsp. orange juice

Boil figs and water 5 minutes. Blend in sugar, flour, nuts, orange juice. Cook until thick. Cool. Roll half to 18 x 12 x 1/8 inch rectangle. Cut into 4 strips 3 inches wide. Put cooled filling down center of strip. Fold each side over. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Rosemary fig confit
1 cup figs, chopped fine
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan stir together ingredients and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove lid and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until most liquid is evaporated and mixture is thickened. In a food processor coarsely purée fig mixture. Confit may be made 5 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Bring confit to room temperature before using. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.


I usually skip the food processor step and the wine is optional.

This has gone on sandwiches, grilled meats, and flat breads. A big favorite at parties is flat bread with the fig conserve and gorgonzola cheese - some people like prosciutto.

I make a whole bunch and it freezes just fine.

ha - the herbalist I used to work with bought the entire crop of figs from his neighbor's trees to make and bottle a child's strength laxative syrup. Wow! That stuff worked!
You might look into preserving if you have an abundance of ripe fruit all at once.
You can also dehydrate them whole, or make fruit leather.

This isn't a way to preserve them, but if you cut a cross in the fat bottom part and stuff in cream cheese or goat cheese mixed with a lot of fresh basil and a bit of honey if you want, it is an amazing appetizer or snack.

I just thought of this variation, but I bet a carmelized nut pressed into the cheese would be awesome as well.

Here is an interesting fig recipe site:

www.meccagold.com/recipeindex.htm

and look at some raw food sites on the web, raw foodies use figs and dates for really good desserts all the time.

goat cheese tart with figs
savory
bronmarshall.com/
sweet
tartelette.blogspot.com/2007/0...at.html

How to dry figs:
www.ochef.com/9.htm

I'd make a panforte from dried figs! Here's a link to a basic description. Just sub out the fruit they list, and maybe sub out some of the nuts for figs, too. You start with honey & sugar taken to the soft-ball stage to make a thick batter with any dried fruit & nuts you want... Best energy bar ever!

www.joyofbaking.com/Panforte.html

I usually just make preserves (equal parts of figs and sugar, heated on the stove until thickened) without the use of pectin, which means less sugar. I then give them away from the holidays as gifts.

Sell to ur neighbours at markup.

More technique than recipe. Grill them. Barring that, put a heavy, saute pan on high heat for approx 5 minutes (longer if it's cast iron), then add your fat, then your figs with plenty of salt and pepper. Great as an accompaniment to lots of main and side courses (I know, a side to a side, but you get it).

Ok seriously, something more useful you can do about your apparent fig surplus is locate any friends going to school and living on res., they will likely have a beef with a neighbor and the figs would make a much better throwing projectile than mom's spoiling food.

You're welcome!

I don't have nearly as many figs to dispose of as you do, but I have about a pound. I was thinking about dessert, so I googled and found a fig sugar cookie recipe I think I'm going to try:

www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0...0Cookies .

I must say, the jam idea posted earlier sounds fab, though. I might do that instead.

Decisions, decisions.

check out this recipe! VERY VERY yummy! can be used to fill a jam tart, or scones with cream and any other jam requirements you may have :D

organicgarden2table.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/surplus-figs-fig-shiraz-and-chocolate.html

I am making strawberry jam with suar free jello and steva. I was trying to find gelatin that did not use aspartame .