Whole Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese Ice Cream, Spicy Fig Sauce, and Oatmeal Tuiles Recipe
Charlie Trotter — The Cuisine of Illinois. Total time: 1hr to 2hr. Prep. Time: 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. (350°F.). Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes. Difficulty: Average. Chef's Note: Figs and goat cheese are natural partners. The creamy, elegant tangy goat cheese perfectly contrasts with the full-flavored figs. In this dessert, a hot roasted fig acts as the bed for a scoop of intoxicatingly perfumed goat cheese ice cream, which melts into the fig to create a perfect sauce. Accompanying the roasted fig is a napoleon featuring crispy oatmeal tuiles layered with raw figs and a sating goat cheese cream. The fig juices and thyme leaves round out the dish nicely.
⏱️ Prep: 30 min🍳 Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | unsalted butter |
| 65 ml (1/4 cup) | icing sugar | |
| 1.5 tsp | 7.5 ml | finely grated lemon zest |
| 3 tbsp | 45 ml | honey |
| 75 ml (5 tbsp.) | flour | |
| 3 tbsp | 45 ml | oatmeal, lightly toasted in the oven |
| 12 | fresh Figs | |
| 125 ml (1/2 cup) | simple syrup | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | Port |
| 6 tbsp | 90 ml | heavy cream |
| 60 g (2 oz.) | Goat cheese | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | sugar |
| — | Spicy fig sauce | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | small thyme sprigs |
Instructions
To make the tuiles
- Cream the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon zest. Add the honey and flour and mix well.
- Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the batter onto a Silpat-lined or nonstick sheet pan. Use a small offset spatula to spread the tuile into a 1 3/4-inch circle. Repeat the process, making at least 18 tuiles (the extra will allow for breakage).
- Sprinkle the top of each tuile with a pinch of rolled oats, reserving 1/2 tablespoon for garnish.
- Bake at 180°C. (350°F.) for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. (The tuiles may be cut with a ring cutter after cooking for a more precise shape.) Immediately transfer the tuiles to a countertop or other flat surface to cool.
To prepare the figs
- Cut the tops off 6 of the figs. Use a small spoon to press a cavity into each fig and dip the whole fig in the Simple Syrup.
- Fill the figs with the port. (If the figs have any holes in the bottoms, cut small pieces off the tops to fill the holes.)
- Place the filled figs on a sheet pan and bake at 180°C. (350°F.) for 25 minutes, or until they have softened.
- Slice the remaining 6 figs in half lengthwise and then cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Warm the slices in the remaining Simple Syrup.
To make the goat cheese cream
- Thoroughly combine 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream with the goat cheese and granulated sugar.
- Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup cream until it reaches soft peaks and fold into the goat cheese mixture.
Assembly
- Place 3 to 4 fig slices on one half of each plate. Place a small spoonful of the goat cheese cream on the figs and top with a tuile.
- Spoon another small spoonful of the cream, 3 to 4 fig slices, another tablespoon of cream, and a tuile on top of the first stack.
- Build another layer with a spoonful of cream, figs, another spoonful of cream, and a tuile.
- Place a roasted fig alongside the stacked figs and top with a quenelle of Goat Cheese Ice Cream.
- Spoon the Spicy Fig Sauce around the plates and sprinkle with the thyme sprigs and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oatmeal.