The racket in the garden at present is getting ridiculous, with birdie visitors squabbling over the last of the figs on a daily basis. Anyone would think they were eating their last meal for awhile, as the Waxeyes, Thrush, Starlings and the occasional Fantail duke it out in my fig tree!

I managed to rescue a few figs that didn’t have any beak holes, and baked in this Fig Frangipane dessert. Great flavours in this autumn dessert and really quick to make.

No figs available, no probs. Just swop the figs with thinly sliced apples, pears or quince.

Enjoy!

FIG FRANGIPANE WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients
½ c almond meal
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ c icing sugar, sifted
1 lemon, zested

Wet ingredients
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream

4 fresh figs, cut in half lengthwise
¼ c brown sugar for dipping figs

To Serve
icing sugar
½ c each of Mascarpone & cream, whipped together with ½ tsp each of vanilla & sugar
honey, to drizzle

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 160°C. Grease 4 small (⅔ - 1 c capacity) oven proof dishes well with butter.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl until mixed.Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix together until just combined. Pour the mixture into four ovenproof dishes.

Press the cut side of each fig into the brown sugar, and place two fig halves, cut side up in the mixture.Bake in a baking dish for 30 - 40 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.

Cool for at least 15 minutes.Dust with icing sugar, and serve with a dollop of Mascarpone cream and a drizzle of honey.

Serves 4