Mary berry Figs with Goat Cheese Appetizer
Figs with Goat Cheese Appetizer is an amazing and unexpected dish to bring to your next party. Move over baked brie and fruit, here comes something “figgier”. I’m sure that’s not a real word, but, oh well….. In my ever so humble opinion, figs are a very under used fruit. I grew up with a couple of fig trees in my backyard and I can remember my mom being so excited to pick them once they were ripe enough. She would come back to the kitchen with baskets full of big juicy figs and make preserves out of them. As a little girl one of my favorite cookies were Fig Newtons. I still love them today but I prefer a more grown up version of the treat.
When I opened my refrigerator this morning and saw these big, beautiful black mission figs, I immediately started craving them. I just happened to have some goat cheese and phyllo dough so I cooked the figs down with a little brown sugar and water and put everything together to create this Figs with Goat Cheese Appetizer. I decided to add a some bacon to give the dish a little bit of a salty element. The result was this fabulous, sophisticated appetizer that I definitely plan on serving at my next party.
There is something very alluring about figs. On the outside, the purple color of black mission figs are magnificent. But when they are cut open, a beautiful, delicate pink, seedy flesh is revealed. Nature always seems to amaze me. Figs with Goat Cheese Appetizer is delicious and so easy to make. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Figs with Goat Cheese Appetizer
Author: Amy Duska
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
- 2 oz. bacon
- 8-10 large black mission figs, cut into fours
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 oz. plain goat cheese
- 2 T honey
- 8 sheets phyllo dough
- 2 T olive oil
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Cut bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy, drain on a paper towel and set aside
- Place the figs, water and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook on med high heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes, or until water is reduced and the mixture is thick
- In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and honey and stir until creamy
- Place the first sheet of phyllo dough on a clean surface and brush with olive oil
- Continue to layer the phyllo dough, brushing with olive oil on each layer, turning each sheet slightly to get a fanned effect
- Press the dough into a small baking dish, letting the edges hang over the sides (I used a 6″ round baking dish)
- Spread the cheese and honey mixture onto the dough
- Spread the fig jam on top of the cheese mixture and then sprinkle the bacon
- Pull the sides of the phyllo dough to the middle, bunch and lightly coat with olive oil
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the dough is a golden brown
- Drizzle honey over the top of the baked pastry and serve warm
