This is one of the girl and the fig menu signature desserts: Thyme Fig Crisp. It’s a fig bar dressed up and perfect for large parties. Here’s how to make it.
Figs Two Ways
Because fig season is so limited the Sonoma restaurant plans ahead and make the filling of fig jam with dried figs, but when they are in season, they use fresh figs. They serve the Thyme & Fig Crisp with Fig Syrup and a Fig and Port ice cream, made exclusively for the girl and fig menu by Ciao Bella.
Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Mission Figs are the star of this recipe. Their familiar fig fruit flavor is enhanced by ingredients that work perfectly with the figs. Thyme, while typically associated with savory dishes adds an herbaceous edge to the fig jam in a way that shows the herb can swing sweet. Port wine is lush and you’ll love how it brings rich definition to the Fig Syrup.
The Fig Syrup uses sliced figs that infuse their flavor into the syrup along with cinnamon sticks, clove, and port wine. The syrup is made by cooking down the liquid until reduced and syrupy in texture.
Heat the figs, port, cinnamon stick, and clove in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce to 1/2 cup. Strain the sauce, pressing on the figs to get as much juice as possible. Whisk in the sugar and cool.
Upscale Pastry
If you’ve made pie dough before, this elevated pastry is even easier. The food processor is your friend here—it incorporates all the ingredients into each other while also ensuring your hands don’t warm up the dough. Walnuts add a nuttiness while brown sugar and granulated sugar together add definition and nuance. This pastry gets used two ways: as the crust on the bottom and as a streusel-style topping. Nudge and smooth 2/3 of the pastry into a 9×13 pan to par-bake until golden.
Fig Crisp Assembly Tips
While the pastry is baking, turn your attention to the fig jam. It will cook down over the stovetop until the figs are tender. Then, get the food processor out again to puree the jam. Spread it over the baked pastry until it’s level. Then, sprinkle the remaining pastry dough over the fig crisp before baking. Once the fig crisp has had a chance to cool, slice and serve, drizzling fig syrup over the top.
It’s as good as eating the dessert at girl and the fig in Sonoma!
Warm California Fig and Thyme Crisp with Fig Syrup
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 2 cups walnut halves
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 lb unsalted butter thinly sliced
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
Jam:
- 2 1/2 lbs Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 3 lemons grated
- 1 bunch thyme tied with twine
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
Fig Syrup:
- 5 Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs stemmed, sliced
- 4 cups ruby port
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 clove
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Directions for Pastry and Jam:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a food processor, grind the walnuts (until medium-fine) with the 6 tablespoons granulated sugar and set aside. In an electric mixer, mix the 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and flour until well combine. Add the butter and mix until the mixture clumps, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolks to the mixture and mix for 40 seconds. Pack two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch ungreased pan and bake until the dough is light brown, 25-30 minutes.
- To make the jam, in a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the figs, sugar, lemon zest, thyme, and lemon juice and pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and summer until the figs are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the thyme. Puree the mixture in a food processor until smooth.
- To assemble the crisp, spread the jam evenly over the baked dough. In a bowl, crumble together the remaining third of the dough and the walnut and sugar mixture. Sprinkle the mixture over the fig jam and bake for 50 minutes. Drizzle with Fig Syrup (recipe follows). Makes one 9 x 12-inch crisp.
Directions for Fig Syrup:
- Heat the figs, port, cinnamon stick, and clove in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce to 1/2 cup. Strain the sauce, pressing on the figs to get as much juice as possible. Whisk in the sugar and cool.
