Michael Van de Elzen: Fig Sponge Puddings

Author: Michael Van de Elzen,
Publish Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2017, 10:29AM

Look at them, things of beauty.

Figs are out! And there are few fruits I look forward to more than figs.

We have a tree at home and I've been watching them very closely for the past couple of weeks. Last year my entire tree was eaten in one night by possums, so this year I have the gun ready!

Whist my fruit are not quite ready yet I have started to see them pop up in shops so they are not far away. They still remain quite expensive even in season, so we do have to care for them and use them wisely.

I love to just cut them in half, pop on a touch of coconut sugar and a little balsamic and toast them under the grill. They're amazing served with a soft goat's cheese.

This recipe is from my cookbook Fast and it's a real winner!

Fig Sponge Puddings (serves 6)

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins

Fig topping

125g butter
150g light muscovado sugar
3 figs, stem removed, skin on, halved

Grease and line 6 small ramekins or pudding dishes. Melt butter in saucepan over a low heat. Add sugar and stir over heat until the mix becomes foamy and pale (2-3 minutes). Pour evenly into the greased ramekins. Place half a fig in each ramekin, flesh side down, and set aside.

Cake batter

225g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
3 tbsp milk
100g LSA
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla paste
150g plain flour
vanilla ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs together with milk. Gradually add eggs to butter and sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in LSA, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Gently fold in flour. Pour cake mixture over figs, place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before sliding a warm knife around the edge of each dish to loosen. Carefully invert to turn puddings out onto serving plates.

Serve warm with toffee cherries, toasted macadamias and vanilla ice cream.

Toasted macadamias (makes 1 cup)

Prep time: 1 min
Cooking time: 6-8 mins

1 cup whole macadamia nuts

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add macadamia nuts and toast for 6-7 minutes, moving often to avoid burning. Allow to cool, and crush coarsely using the back of a kitchen knife.