I had a huge craving for figs the other day! It might be because I spent all summer in England, and it’s September now and I have not yet eaten one of my favourite fruits. Figs are very nutritious: figs are among the richest sources of fibre and various trace elements such as magnesium, manganese, calcium (half a cup of fresh figs contain the same calcium as half a cup of milk), potassium, and vitamin K and B6. They also contain lots of antioxidants that neutralize free radicals by fighting the oxidation (aging) of the cells. And of course, it’s delicious! I longed for them so much, I bought some for a high price. I thought of the plate my mother-in-law brings me with fresh figs from the countryside. So, to honour those expensive figs I will make delicious tarts with fig cream. Ideal afternoon snacks, as along with so many nuts (cashew nuts in the cream and almonds and dates in the base) give a terrific energy and satisfaction. The greatest proof of how delicious it is, was the look of satisfaction in my mother’s eyes when she tried them accompanied by a ‘Bravo my girl, this is one of the best things you’ve made’, because my mother is a bit sceptical with my experimentational vegetable cooking and sugar-free and dairy free confectionery. It is really delicious: the rich fig cream fits perfectly with the slightly roasted almond and dates base.
Ingredients (for 6 tiles)
For the cream
– 6 fresh figs (I found white, but black would do too)
– 200gr of cashew nuts, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
– 1 glass of almond or coconut milk
– 1 tsp of vanilla extract or grated Madagascan vanilla
– 2-3 spoon of maple syrup (adjust according to how sweet you want it)
For the bases
– 6 dates or dried figs
– 1 cup of almonds
– 3 spoons of coconut oil
Blend all the materials for the bases in a powerful food processor until the almonds and dates are crushed and become a sticky mixture. Pour some extra coconut oil into a non-stick cupcake tray and spread the mixture on it by pressing the centre with a spoon or your fingers so that the mixture appears on the walls. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees for about 10 minutes until they get a golden-brown colour, with special care not to get them burnt. After 10 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and let it cool.
Put all the ingredients for the cream in a blender. Keep a fig for the garnish. Once all the ingredients melt and turn into a cream, remove them and fill the bases with a spoon.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The more you leave in the refrigerator, the more the cream will thicken, so don’t rush to take them out. I left them there all night. Cut the fig you set aside in small slices and garnish.