Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen (half of a 17 1/4-ounce package)
- 1 large egg white, beaten
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup Ruby Port
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise in 1/2
- 2 cups black Mission figs, stems removed and cut in ½ vertically
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Directions
Cover the puff pastry with a slightly damp kitchen cloth and bring to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut into 8 portions. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the egg white. Combine 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the pastry. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and top with a second baking sheet.
Bake until lightly browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Combine the vinegar, Port, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and the vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture is thick and syrupy, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the figs, turning to coat evenly, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Discard the vanilla bean pods.
Beat the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the vanilla extract, and beat until stiff peaks form.
To assemble, place a small dollop of whipped cream in the center of each of 4 plates. Top with 1 pastry round and a dollop of whipped cream. Divide the figs evenly among the rounds, reserving 4 halves for garnish. Top with the remaining pastry rounds and whipped cream, and garnish with the fig halves. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve.












Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 1 reviews
By wrightlaw1_1503587
Attleboro, MA
on August 12, 2005
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This was fantastic - much better than I expected. A fair amount of work, but well worth it. Very similar to an elegant French or Italian dessert from an upscale restaurant. I only used half the puff pastry but I think the proportions worked well. I also cooked the figs for several minutes in the hot sauce and I liked the texture. The sauce was so good that I wanted to lick everything it touched - really amazing flavor.
Read all 1 reviews