Fig Manhattans                     August, 2015.

Fresh figs are spectacular! These delicate fruits are usually sold at gourmet food stores and sometimes local fruit stands. The complicated sweet taste of a fresh fig is a unique addition to baked goods.

Fig jam is also fabulous and I use it in this recipe, but please note that fresh figs make this pastry superb. In the winter of 2014, there was a lot of snow and cold weather in the Northeast of USA as well as an early thaw, followed by more cold! Fig trees didn’t know what to do – bear fruit or not. Fresh figs were not available until August (usually available in June). Since then, I definitely bake these bars in late summer, but always hope I can start earlier. Only bake these if you are as passionate about fresh figs as I am! And serve with a fork.

 
This recipe is on pages 116, 117 and 118 of Fat Witch Bake Sale. 

• Ingredients
• Crust
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter(1½ sticks) at   room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg & 1 large egg yolk 
  (easier to separate when the egg is cold)
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 
• 1¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablepoons high quality fig jam
• Topping
• 1½ cups of fig jam
• ¼ cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 pints of figs wash and dried throughly with stems cut
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• Directions
• Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
• Grease a 9" square baking pan with butter or
  cooking spray.
• Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Or, line the bottom with parchment paper.
• To make the crust In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Add egg and egg yolk and beat to combine. Mix in the vanilla.
• Measure the flour and salt and sift directly into the butter mixture.
• Gently stir in the jam.
• With a spatula, spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. While the pan is cooling, prepare the topping.
• To make the topping In a large bowl, whisk the jam, cider, honey and cinnamon until well blended. Pour this over the crust and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is bubbling and the edges are set (slightly pulling away from the edges). Remove the pan from the oven, but leave the oven on.
• Cut the fresh figs into quarters and arrange them evenly over the top of the pan. Sprinkle sugar on top. Put the pan back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the figs have softened slightly. Remove the pan from the oven.
• Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares just before serving.
• This pastry is best made only 1 day in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.