chocolate-covered rum figs

I know it’s been a long time since I posted anything. I took a summer hiatus from food politics, research, and activism. I needed it.

But now I am home from my 5,000-mile road trip, and transitioning back to the routines of daily life. One of my favorite routines is picking up my weekly harvest box from Los Poblanos Organics (now part of Mountain View Co-Op), and seeing what is inside. Then comes the joy of figuring out creative ways to incorporate all of those fresh produce items into our meals.

This week’s box included a basket of fresh black mission figs. Believe it or not, I had never eaten a fig. I ate one fresh and unadorned, which was delicious. Then I went surfing for recipes. What I found was this fabulous treat:

Chocolate-Covered Rum Figs

Ingredients

• 4 large fresh black mission figs
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup dark rum
• 2-1/2 ounces dark chocolate (55% cocoa minimum – no milk ingredients)
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preparation

Prick the skins on the figs with a knife tip or toothpick. Then place figs in bowl or jar and pour rum over them. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain figs, reserving all liquid. Dry figs with a paper towel. Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan until liquid and cool slightly. Holding each fig by its stem, dip in the melted chocolate and roll around to coat evenly. Arrange the figs on plate lined with wax paper. Store in refrigerator until the chocolate sets.

To serve, remove figs from refrigerator and arrange on plates(s). Simmer reserved rum liquid in small saucepan with sugar until thickened, keeping in mind that liquid will thicken further as it cools – the goal is a syrupy consistency. Once cool and syrupy, spoon the sauce over the figs and serve immediately.

Nutrition facts (approximate – per fig)

Calories 180 (30% from Fat); Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 4g; Mono Fat 1g; Potassium 217mg; Carbohydrate 22g; Sugar 19g; Dietary Fiber 3g; Protein 2g; Daily Values: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 2%; Iron 2%.