Fig And Stilton Squares Food

SCRUMPTIOUS FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For filling: Finely chop figs in processor (do not puree).
• Combine with juice, sugar and peel in small saucepan.
• Simmer until thickened to consistency of jam, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and cinnamon.
• Cool completely.
• For pastry: Preheat oven to 350F (160C).
• Line 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish with foil.
• Cream butter with mixer until light; add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in small bowl to blend.
• Add to butter until mixture just starts to come together.
• Separate in half.
• Press one half into pan, just coming up sides slightly.
• Brush pastry edges with egg white.
• Spread filling over pastry, leaving a ¼ inch border.
• Crumble remaining pastry evenly over pan, and lightly pat down with hands, bringing to edge of pan.
• Combine 2 tblsps sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Brush pastry crust with remaining egg white and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until crust around edge is firm to the touch and pastry just begins to colour, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• Remove pastry from pan, using foil as aid.
• Cut into 1 ½ inch squares.

FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For baking: 1 egg, beaten For dough, in a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add 1/4 pound soft butter and work finely into flour. Cut cold butter into 1/2 pieces and add to bowl. Work in until butter is left pea-sized. Drizzle water over mixture and toss in. If dough is dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Dough should be loose in bowl, not in a ball. Turn out onto work surface and pull together. Divide into 2 equal portions, flatten each slightly, and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour before rolling. (Refrigerate up to 3 days, freeze up to 6 months.) For the fig filling, in a large saucepan, combine all but 1/3 of the grated zest and butter, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until fruit is soft and liquid thickened. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add butter and puree to blend. Add remaining zest and pulse in. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. To assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 11 by 17-inch baking sheet (up to 12 x18) with parchment paper. Remove one of the wrapped pieces of dough from the refrigerator and unwrap. Roll dough on a floured surface into a rectangle to fit the bottom and sides of the baking sheet. Line the sheet with the dough. Place the baking sheet in the freezer while the second piece of dough is rolled out in the same way. Remove baking sheet from freezer and spread fig filling evenly over the surface of the dough. Top with the second sheet of dough and pinch the edges to seal. Trim the excess dough. Brush surface of dough with beaten egg. Prick through the top layer of dough with a fork evenly over the surface (about 1 1/2 apart.) Place baking sheet on bottom rack of oven. Bake 25 to35 minutes, until dough is a light-medium golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into portions (squares are traditional.)

STILTON & FIG SALAD WITH HONEY-THYME DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Put the honey and thyme leaves in a small pan, then gently warm together for 2 mins - the honey shouldn't get hot enough to bubble. Set aside to cool. Make a dressing by whisking together the cider vinegar and rapeseed oil with some seasoning.
• To serve, gently toss the chopped hazelnuts, fennel and rocket with the dressing. Divide the cheese between 4 plates, add a fig half to each, then a pile of the salad. Finally drizzle the thyme-infused honey over the figs and cheese.

FRESH FIGS WITH STILTON AND WALNUTS IN A HONEY DRIZZLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Toasted Walnuts:.
• In a large, heavy frying pan, over a high heat, toast the walnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside to cool.
• Honey Drizzle Dressing.
• Put the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a screw-top jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the honey and walnut oil, then shake again to emulsify - the emulsion will hold for ten minutes or so, but give it another jiggle just before you use it to dress the salad.
• Salad:.
• Wipe the fresh figs gently, and cut them in half. Arrange them on a large platter, OR on individual plates - allowing 4 to 5 fresh figs per person, depending on the size.
• Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 ozs of crumbled or sliced blue cheese per person, over the top of the fresh figs.
• Scatter the chopped,toasted walnuts over the fig salad.
• Just before serving, drizzle the honey dressing over the salad, and garnish each plate with 1 - 2 fresh fig leaves if available.
• Serve with crusty bread and butter and mixed herb and salad leaves.
• Can also be served as a dessert/cheese course combined.

FIG AND STILTON (BLUE CHEESE) SQUARES FOR ANYTIME

Steps:

• about 30 mins. Preheat oven 375D. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange 12 squares on sheet and cover with more parchment paper. Top the squares with another baking sheet, bottom side down. Bake squares for about 35 mins until pastry is golden. Transfer squares to a rack to cool. Repeat to bake remaining squares.
• Return as many cooled squares as will fit to a baking sheet. Top each square with 1/2 tsp of fig mix. Sprinkle with Stilton or blue cheese and bake about 5 mins until cheese is melted. Serve warm or room temp.
• Make Ahead: The unbaked frozen pastry squares can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Enjoy they really are good.

OAT AND FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F . Put figs in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let figs soften for 5-7 minutes. Do not drain.
• Lightly coat an 8X8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper or nonstick foil). In a small bowl, mix canola oil or butter, honey, and milk. In a medium bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt; add wet ingredients, then mix well.
• Remove softened figs from water and place in a blender or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of the rehydrating water and puree until smooth. (I added a tiny bit more water as they still seemed a little thick to spread easily.).
• Place a little more than half of the oat mixture in the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom. (It was sticking to my hands a bit, so I laid waxed paper over it to press on as I evened it out.) Spread figs evenly on top. Add remaining oat mixture on top of fig layer, allowing some of the figs to show through. (I just pinched off bits of the dough and dropped them evenly over the top.) Pat lightly to flatten.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into 16 squares.

FIG & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can't feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.
• To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble - the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.