Fig Rolls

Every year my husband’s work colleague, Ken is inundated with figs in his garden. I am one of the very fortunate recipients of his excess and have had a lot of fun trying out different recipes: Fig and Rhubarb Jam, Balsamic Fig Dressing, Rolled Oat Fig Bars, Fig and Gruyere bread — I’ve even tried drying them — unfortunately the method I used to dry them out naturally in the sun didn’t work. Suffice to say, they attracted too many flies!

Moving on, I’ve always wanted to have a bash at Fig Rolls, being one of my favourite biscuits, although I possess quite a large selection of cookery books, there are actually very few recipes using figs. This recipe is my own take on the fig roll - hope you like it.

Note:
This recipe uses fresh figs. If using dried figs, add a little water just to cover the bottom of the saucepan when softening up the fruit and then puree briefly in a mini food processor.

“I always thought felt that figs aren’t a contemporary food — more some sort of item you would expect to find in an ancient Egyptian cookery book!”

— I can’t remember who but these words were uttered to some effect— Huntington Beach

Line a large baking tray with parchment or baking paper. Dust with flour.
To aid the lifting of the pastry dough, one sheet of baking paper, dusted with flour — or wing it like I do and roll out the pastry directly onto a large marble slab.

PASTRY
Because of the lighter, softer texture due to the baking powder and egg yolk, the pastry is a combination of biscuit and cake.

7 oz (175 g) plain unbleached flour, plus extra
2 oz (55 g) wholemeal flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 dessertspoon natural caster sugar
1 quarter teaspoon salt
4.5 oz (125 g) cold unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk

FIG PASTE

1 lb (454 g) fresh figs, good weight
Zest and juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon caraway seed
Small knob of fresh ginger root, grated
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy (optional)
2 oz (50 g) almond flour (ground almonds)

FOR THE FIG ROLL TOPPING (optional)

1 oz (30 g) slivered almonds
1 tablespoon demerera sugar

Add all the dry ingredients for the pastry into a mixing bowl. Then dip the block of butter into the dry ingredients before grating it directly into the bowl.

Mix it in quickly into the flour briefly with the minimum amount of finger contact until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Now mix in the egg yolk and milk. Stir with a knife until you have a mound, shape into a ball, cover and place in a refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the figs, rinse, drain and chop. Place these in a medium saucepan together with the lemon zest and juice, the sugar, spices and ginger and bring to simmering point. Cook on a low to moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is softened for 5-8 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla extract, brandy and ground almonds. Leave to cool a little.

Roll out the pastry dough on the dusted baking sheet, making a rectangle 10 x 13inches (25 x 33 cm). Trim the edges. With a pizza cutter, cut through the centre making two sections 5 x 13 (12.5 x 33 cm) inches long.

Now divide the fig mixture into half and with floured fingers make a long roll in the centre of each section. Brush a little egg on inside of each of the strips, then using the paper first lift up and over the side that hasn’t been coated with egg and then overlap it with the other side so that it is a sealed-in roll. Gently firm the dough over with a spatula.

Pre-heat the oven to 375º F (190º C)

Transfer each roll carefully on to the lined baking tray so that the overlapped edge is now on the bottom. Cut each roll into 8 equal sections. If necessary, make a third roll on the baking tray if you run out of space.

Baste the tops with the rest of the egg and sprinkle the almonds and demerara sugar on top. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until lightly golden and then cool on a cake rack. These fig rolls can be successfully frozen for up to 3 months.