Chocolate Covered Figs

January 16 is Fig Newton Day! My Dad was a big Fig Newton fan. Me, not so much. However, I love figs, and I'm using this holiday as a jumping off point for Chocolate Covered Figs. Before I embark on recipes for Chocolate Covered Dried Figs, just wanted to let you know that Vice Chocolates' Dark Chocolate Bar with Fig & Anise is one of my favorite chocolate fig combinations! So if you don't have time to make Chocolate Covered Figs, you can always buy one of their great bars!

Last summer when fresh figs were available, I posted a simple recipe for Chocolate Covered Figs. Following are two recipes for Chocolate Covered Dried Figs. The first is alcoholic, because who doesn't love a drunken fig? The second recipe calls for stuffing the dried figs with walnuts, but contains no alcohol. Actually you can mix and match these recipes to come up with whatever you think is perfect for you! As always, use the very best chocolate and figs! Different chocolate, different figs, different tastes!

Chocolate Covered Dried Figs

Ingredients:
20 dried figs
Rum
10 ounces 85-90% dark chocolate, chopped fine
1/4 cup sweet butter
pinch of sea salt

Preparation:
Put figs in bowl and cover with run. Let them soak, covered, overnight in refrigerator.
Next day, drain well and pat dry.

Put chopped chocolate into top of double boiler, stirring. Add butter, stirring until smooth.

Take figs by stems and dip in chocolate several times, covering completely.
Put figs on rack over cookie sheet to catch drips.
When finished dipping, chill figs in refrigerator.

Non-Alcoholic Chocolate Covered Figs Stuffed with Walnuts

Ingredients
9 figs, dried
9 walnut halves
5  tbsp. dark chocolate (60-75%), broken up

Directions
Make small incisions in bottoms of 9 dried figs and stuff each with a walnut half.
Melt chocolate in double boiler until smooth.
Holding the stem, dip stuffed figs into chocolate.
Let them drip from a rack over a cookie sheet, or place on plate or wax paper.
Put the chocolate covered figs on the plate or waxed paper in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or more until chocolate hardens.

Photo: Vice Chocolates Dark Chocolate Bar with Fig & Anise

Chocolate Covered Figs

So, I'm on a fig roll. Today I picked up a lot of figs at the Farmer's Market. The easiest way to eat figs is to just pop them in your mouth, but if you want to be a bit fancier, add chocolate. Here's a very simple Chocolate Covered Figs recipe. 

I don't have any 'real' measurements for this, but it's pretty basic and easy!
  
Chocolate Covered Figs

Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper. 
Melt dark chocolate (I like very dark chocolate, but anything 65% cacao or over would be great) in the microwave or on top of a double boiler over simmering water, until smooth.
Hold top of fig with your fingers and dip into melted chocolate, covering only bottom part.
Place chocolate covered fig on cookie sheet.
Repeat with remaining figs.
Put chocolate covered figs in refrigerator for 15 minutes or so until chocolate is set.
Serve.
If you're not eating them right away, keep them in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

As different types of figs come in to the market, experiment.
You might want to dip the chocolate covered figs in chopped nuts before putting on the cookiesheet.
Use different figs, different chocolate.
You can't go wrong!