Figs With Creme Fraiche And Raspberry Coulis Recipes

Steps:

• Spoon the honey over the cut sides of the figs. Heat a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the butter - it should sizzle briskly when it hits the pan. Throw in the thyme sprigs, followed by the figs, cut sides down. Leave undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes to caramelize, then turn the figs over and cook for another minute.
• Transfer the figs to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat and add about 5 tablespoons water. Simmer, scraping the caramelized honey with a spoon. Pour this sauce over the figs and serve warm with generous spoonfuls of crème fraîche and a few extra thyme leaves.

Steps:

• Cook the raspberries in a nonreactive pan with the sugar until they turn mushy and the sugar has melted. Press them through a sieve.
• Wipe the figs with a clean kitchen towel and cut off the stems.
• Pour a small pool of the sauce onto four individual plates. Slice the figs in quarters and arrange them in a circle on the plates. Put a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream in the center and top with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately with thin sugar cookies on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Force raspberries through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove seeds.
• Sprinkle cut side of figs with sugar and place, sugared sides up, in a flameproof baking dish. Broil about 4 inches from heat until tops are bubbling and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry coulis onto each of 4 dessert plates. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of yogurt in center of each, then arrange 4 fig halves on top.

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir together zest, citrus juices, vanilla, and mint sugar.
• Butter six 1-cup shallow flameproof gratin dishes or bowls. Quarter figs. Halve and pit apricots. Divide figs, apricots, raspberries, and juice mixture among dishes or bowls.
• Just before serving, sprinkle sugar evenly over fruit and caramelize with blowtorch, moving flame evenly back and forth just over sugar (alternatively, broil fruit under a preheated broiler set 2 to 3 inches from heat) until most of sugar is melted and deep golden in places.
• Immediately serve brûlées with crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Arrange raspberries and figs in 10-inch-diameter broilerproof baking dish. Stir sour cream until smooth; spoon evenly over fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil close to heat source until brown sugar melts and bubbles, about 4 minutes. Garnish with mint and serve warm.