Chocolate Covered Figs

So, I'm on a fig roll. Today I picked up a lot of figs at the Farmer's Market. The easiest way to eat figs is to just pop them in your mouth, but if you want to be a bit fancier, add chocolate. Here's a very simple Chocolate Covered Figs recipe. 

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

Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper. 
Melt dark chocolate (I like very dark chocolate, but anything 65% cacao or over would be great) in the microwave or on top of a 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.
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 in to the market, experiment.
You might want to dip the chocolate covered figs in chopped nuts before putting on the cookiesheet.
Use different figs, different chocolate.
You can't go wrong!

Chocolate Fig Bread Pudding

Yesterday I was looking at a fabulous house in the country with over 3 acres of mature plantings. Loved the house and grounds, but I was most taken by the huge fig tree that shaded the back entertaining area. I could easily see myself sitting under that fig tree, reading a mystery and eating chocolate. So I thought, figs and chocolate. Sounds like a match. When I came home, I went through my recipe files, and found a recipe I picked up from the Blue Ribbon, Orchard Choice, Sun Maid Figs booth at the Fancy Food Show. It is also online, along with a lot of other terrific fig recipes.

Figs offer so many nutrients and minerals, so like chocolate, they're good for your health. They're fat-free, cholesterol free, sodium free! Perfect for pairing with chocolate.

I didn't find out what type of fig tree was at the house, but here in California, there are many varieties. Fresh figs are in now, and dried figs are always available. This is another easy recipe, and I absolutely love bread pudding!

Chocolate Fig Bread Pudding with Spirited Sauce

Chocolate Fig Bread Pudding
4 cups (3/4-inch cubes) firm white bread
1 cup coarsely chopped Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Mission or Calimyrna figs, stems removed (or fresh figs from the farmers' market)
1/2 cup (3 oz) chocolate morsels or coarsely chopped chocolate (dark chocolate-70% or higher)
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Spirited Sauce
1 -1/4cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup dark rum or brandy

Heat oven to 350F.
Grease 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
Combine bread cubes, figs and chocolate in baking dish.
Heat milk and butter until butter is melted (do not boil).
Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt; blend well.
Add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly.
Pour over bread and fig mixture. Let stand 5 minutes.
Bake uncovered 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
If desired, baked pudding can be made several days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, reheat in 325F oven 15 minutes.
To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Serve warm over bread pudding.

Source and Photo: Valley Fig Growers

Savory Chocolate, Almonds, Bacon: Chocolate with Almonds Day

Another day, another food holiday. Tomorrow, July 8,  is Chocolate with Almonds Day, not to be confused with Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day on November 7.

For a nice change, here are two savory chocolate with almonds recipes. They're both for chocolate with almonds--and BACON.

The first recipe comes from Food Network Star Chef Michael Symon. It's easy and delicious. Easy, is always the key word. I adapted this recipe to use dark chocolate. I like the taste better. But if you're a milk chocolate person, give it a go with Michael Symon's original recipe.

Chocolate Covered Bacon with Almonds

Ingredients
1 pound thickly sliced slab bacon
1/2 pound dark chocolate-65% or higher-good quality
1/4 pound toasted almonds

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place bacon on a sheet tray and bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Melt chocolate in double boiler over low heat. Dip crisp bacon in chocolate and place back on sheet tray. Sprinkle with almonds and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

I haven't tried the following recipe yet, but it looks sensational. The stuffing of the dates takes a little more time, but it's still a simple recipe. It's quite a chocolatey-variation on the more standard Devils on Horseback. This recipe was adapted from Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland and appeared on The TastingTable Chefs' Recipe the other day. It appears to have everything: sweet, salty, spicy!

DEVILS ON HORSEBACK

Ingredients:
12 strips of bacon, halved crosswise
24 dates, pitted
6 squares of bittersweet baker's chocolate, broken into shards
Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt
12 marcona almonds, halved
½ jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for 15 seconds, then remove and let cool. Turn the oven up to 400°.
2. Stuff each date with a piece of chocolate, a few grains of fleur de sel, half a marcona almond and a piece of jalapeño. Wrap each date with a strip of bacon (secure it with a toothpick, if desired) and place on a baking sheet, seam side down.
3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the bacon is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Be still my heart. I need a few more people here to try this, but I'll let you know when I try these. Likewise, let me know if you make this recipe. I can tell from the recipe that I want to eat them all myself.

Dalmation Bars

I haven't made these in a long time, but the original recipe was from Family Circle Magazine. If you don't want to use nuts-and you can use walnuts or other nuts in place of the macadamia nuts-- you can add dark chocolate chips or broken pieces of chocolate in their place.

These bar cookies are named for Dalmatians because they have 'spots', but don't be fooled. These are definitely not for dogs. No chocolate for dogs. Chocolate is very bad for dogs.

Dalmatian Bars

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup sweet butter
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1-3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla
3 1/2 ounces Macadamia nuts
1-1/2 cups mini white chocolate chips

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. (you're making bars)
Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir 'til smooth.
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.
Beat sugar, eggs, and chocolate mixture in medium-size bowl.
Mix in vanilla, then flour mixture until combined.
Stir in macadamia nuts and half of white chocolate chips.
Spread evenly in prepared pan.
Sprinkle remaining white chocolate chips on top.
Bake in 350 degree F. oven 20 to 25 minutes or until firm and chocolate chips are tan.
Cool in pan.
Cut into bars.