Porto Figs Stuffed with Almonds and Chocolate

[Recipes Index] [World of Chefs]

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. slivered blanched almonds
• 20 whole blanched almonds
• 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 10 large dried calimyrna figs, soaked in Porto for two hours.

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the slivered and whole almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until they are toasted and aromatic. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set the almonds aside to cool. Separate the whole almonds from the slivered almonds. The whole almonds are to be used as a garnish at the end of the preparation of the figs.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade (or a small "nut chopper" which is smaller and easier to clean), combine the chopped chocolate pieces and toasted slivered almonds. Process this mix until it is very coarsely chopped.

Remove the stems from the figs with a small knife and open up each fig using your finger so that there is a round cavity formed inside each fig and the hole is top-side up. Using a small spoon, stuff each fig with the almond and chocolate mixture and place each one on a baking sheet with the fig opening on top. Bake for approximately 5 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, or the fig will lose its soft, supple quality and become hard and dry. When the figs are removed from the oven, place two whole almonds in each opening and arrange on a serving dish. As a serving hint, you may want to place a toothpick in each fig for guests to easily pick up and put on their plates without getting their fingers sticky. Serve immediately while warm or at room temperature.