Recipe Fridays!

Chocolate-Stuffed Figs

Recipe by: Fran Bigelow, Fran's Chocolates

From: Pure Chocolate

I decided on a nice-easy recipe for how hot its been lately here in Chi-town; just melting chocolate with cream. I LOVE figs; I have been known to just eat them as a meal at times, so this recipe is one of my favorites, and it's always a hit. I usually serve it wit the appetizer course at a dinner party; I figure it's nice to have sweet and savory appetizers, to please everybody;)

Makes 24 to 36

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
24 to 36 dried Calimyrna figs, depending on size
1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, tempered (optional)

Method
1.Have ready a 9-by-13-inch or quarter sheet pan lined with parchment.
In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium-high heat just until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth with a rubber spatula. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the top, and let set for 6 to 8 hours at room temperature.
2.Prepare figs for stuffing by gently rolling between your thumb and fingers to loosen the seeds and soften the flesh. Insert a wooden or metal skewer in the hole in the bottom of the fig and wiggle it to enlarge the hole slightly for stuffing.
3.When the ganache is set, gently stir with a rubber spatula a few times. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a small round 1/4-inch tip.
Hold each fig's stem gently between your index and middle fingers, using your thumb to support the plump fruit. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the fig's bottom. Gently squeeze, stuffing until the fig is plump and full. Do not worry about leaks in the fig's skin. They can be fixed later.
4.Place filled figs on a parchment-lined pan and allow to set at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Using a sharp knife, scrape the excess filling from each fig's exterior. Stuffed figs can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Remove and return to room temperature for eating — or dipping, if desired.
5.To dip, follow the tempering and dipping instructions. Holding it by the stem, dip the bottom half of each fig in dark chocolate. Place the dipped fruit on a parchment-lined pan and let the chocolate set. With a pair of sharp scissors, snip off the very tip of each stem, which is too tough to be eaten, before serving.