Chocolate Covered Figs with Almond Paste

Dried figs are the saving grace of the winter months. Certainly, they do not come with the same splendor as their fresh counterparts, but when it’s cold and gray out, every dried fig feels like biting into a piece of summer.

This is why they happen to make excellent winter treats. Particularly when dipped in chocolate.

The best chocolate covered fig that I ever tasted was in Australia, at a farmers market in Adelaide. As I bit into the fig, I could almost taste the intensity of the Australian sun, perfectly preserved in the softness of the dried fig. I would have bought up the producer’s entire stand if I could have.

But while I don’t live anywhere near that stand, at least I can make chocolate covered figs at home. There’s something luxurious to chocolate covered figs, two decadent ingredients paired together, making you feel like you almost shouldn’t be indulging in them. Oh but you should.

Fortunately, if you’re willing to spend some time in front of a bowl of melted chocolate, chocolate covered figs are easy to make at home. And they are the ultimate holiday treat.

What’s even more decadent? When there’s a layer of almond paste tucked under the chocolate.

I made a similar version of this recipe a few years ago, the result of having some leftover almond paste and a few dried apricots that were begging to be turned into something. With a layer of almond paste wrapped around the figs, and then a layer of chocolate, if you put a bowl of these out on your table, you can be sure that they will disappear quickly.

They also keep well, which makes them great to give away. If you can manage to not just hoard them all for yourself, which I won’t judge you for.

Chocolate Covered Figs with Almond Paste

Chocolate Covered Figs with Almond Paste

Ingredients:

About 50 dried figs (I prefer Black Mission figs)

7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet dark chocolate

Turbinado sugar for garnish

Parchment paper

For the almond paste:

1 cup raw almonds, blanched

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces, 50 grams) natural cane sugar

1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)

Preparation:

Begin by preparing the almond paste. To blanch the almonds, place them in a bowl and cover them with hot/boiling water. Let sit for a few minutes until you can put your hand in the water. The skins should be loose and you should be easily able to pop the almonds out of them. Place the skins in one bowl and the blanched almonds in another.

Compost the almond skins and pour off any water that is in the bowl of blanched almonds. Place the blanched almonds in a food processor with the sugar and whiskey and mix until well blended. The mixture should be sticky and moldable.

Lay out a piece of parchment paper on your countertop. Take a small amount of almond paste and mold it around the bottom two thirds of each fig (approximately). They will look like this – complete with terrible lighting if you make these at night like I did!

Melt the chocolate by placing it in a heat-proof bowl inside of a saucepan with hot water. Dip the figs covered in almond paste into the melted chocolate, so that the chocolate covers the almond paste, and place on the parchment paper.

Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and leave to dry until the chocolate has hardened.

Store in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight (for example, in a cupboard). If you want to give some away – if you manage not to eat them all yourself that is – a nice way to gift them is to place them in a sealable glass jar.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Figs with Almond Paste