Chèvre with Candied Figs
An elegant appetizer featuring warm goat cheese topped with caramelized figs in a sweet balsamic reduction. This sophisticated dish combines the creamy tanginess of chèvre with the natural sweetness of figs and rich balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
- •¾ pound chèvre or other goat cheese
- •4 whole fresh figs
- •¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- •3 tbsp brown muscovado sugar
- •3 tbsp brown sugar
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
1. Slice the chèvre log, and place on an oven pan. Cut the figs into rounds.
5 min
- 2.
2. Pour the balsamic vinegar and sugar into a small pot, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the mixture is reduced and sticks to the back of a spoon.
10 min
- 3.
3. If you are using dried figs, place them in the vinegar mixture and let them absorb some of the fluid while the mixture cools.
5 min
- 4.
4. Heat the chèvre cheese slices quickly by using your oven's broiler function for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese has slightly started to melt. Place the cheese on a serving plate, and top it with the candied figs and vinegar mixture. Serve warm.
3 min
- 5.
You can replace muscavado sugar with brown sugar, honey, or regular sugar. Always taste the mixture since the different sugars have different sweetness, and you might have to add more.
- 6.
With their peppery honey flavor, Black Mission figs are the best money can buy. Fresh Black Mission figs are only available a few weeks out of the year, so if you happen to come across some, make compotes and freeze for later use.
- 7.
The sugar is available in light and dark flavors, and is a raw sugar made from sugar canes. Compared with regular refined sugar, it is less processed and high in mineral content. The darker sugar has a liquorish flavor, and the lighter version has a toffee flavor.
