CHOCOLATE COVERED FIGS for PASSOVER: 3 RECIPES

The other day I saw a recipe in the Wall Street Journal for Chocolate Covered Figs for Passover. This jolted my memory of all the fig recipes I've posted in the past. Figs are great any time of year and for any and all holidays! You can use fresh or dried! You have plenty of time to make any of the following recipes or you can buy Vice Chocolates' Dark Chocolate Bar with Fig & Anise. It's one of my favorite chocolate fig combinations!

The first two recipes are for Chocolate Covered Dried Figs. The first is alcoholic, because who doesn't love a drunken fig? The second recipe calls for stuffing the dried figs with walnuts, but contains no alcohol. Actually you can mix and match these recipes to come up with whatever you think is perfect for you! The third recipe is for Chocolate Covered Fresh Figs. They're in my market, so be sure and check to see if you can get them. Love the taste and texture of figs and chocolate! As always, use the very best chocolate and figs! Different chocolate, different figs, different tastes!

1. Chocolate Covered Drunken Dried Figs

Ingredients
20 dried figs
Rum
10 ounces 65-75% dark chocolate, chopped fine
1/4 cup sweet butter
pinch of sea salt

Directions
Put figs in bowl and cover with rum. Let soak, covered, overnight in refrigerator.
Next day, drain well and pat dry.
Put chopped chocolate into top of double boiler, stirring. Add butter, stirring until smooth.
Take figs by stems and dip in chocolate several times, covering completely.
Put figs on rack over cookie sheet to catch drips.
Sprinkle sparingly with sea salt
When finished dipping, chill figs in refrigerator.

2. Non-Alcoholic Chocolate Covered Figs Stuffed with Walnuts

Ingredients
9 figs, dried
9 walnut halves
5  Tbsp dark chocolate (60-75%), chopped

Directions
Make small incisions in bottoms of 9 dried figs and stuff each with walnut half.
Melt chocolate in double boiler until smooth.
Holding stem, dip stuffed figs into chocolate.
Let them drip from rack over cookie sheet, or place on plate or wax paper.
Put the chocolate covered figs on the plate or waxed paper in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or more until chocolate hardens.

3. Chocolate Covered Fresh Figs I don't have any 'real' measurements for this, but it's pretty basic and easy!

Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper. 
Melt dark chocolate (I like very dark chocolate, but anything 60% cacao or over would be great) in microwave or on top of double boiler over simmering water, until smooth.
Hold top of fig with your fingers and dip into melted chocolate, covering only bottom part.
Place chocolate covered fig on cookie sheet covered with parchment.
Repeat with remaining figs.
Put chocolate covered figs in refrigerator for 15 minutes or so until chocolate is set.
Serve.
If you're not eating them right away, keep them in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

As different types of figs come into the market, experiment.
You might want to dip the chocolate covered figs in chopped nuts before putting on the cookie sheet.
Use different figs, different chocolate.
You can't go wrong!  

Photo: Vice Chocolates Dark Chocolate Bar with Fig & Anise