Rose-scented figs recipe

Rose-scented figs

Mouthwatering rose-scented figs

The best soft figs you'll eat

There’s no way to sugar-coat it. Desserts and sweet treats have been few and far between since I adopted a mostly AIP way of eating. It’s really just fruit salad.

You might not believe how delighted I am to be able to eat dairy again. But it does open up a lot more options for desserts.

It’s true that I’m more of a savoury girl myself. But sometimes you just want a sweet treat. Like for birthdays, Christmas and special occasions. So I decided I’d come up with a crustless cheesecake recipe.

No, I can’t do gluten or nuts. But I also don’t do well with some of the AIP staples either. So cassava flour, coconut, and arrowroot are out at the moment as well. Could I have tried to make a crust from tiger nuts? Possibly. And maybe I’ll give that a go some other time.

As a throw-away addition, I decided to add some figs. Not to the cheesecake recipe itself. But as a little fig compote to have on the side. Something quick and simple. But which carried over some of the scents and flavours from the orange and rose cheesecake.

That’s where this recipe for rose-scented figs came from. And it works… really well. In fact, I think my mum likes it more than she likes the cheesecake.

We love figs in our house. It’s easy for me to understand the appeal that made hunter gatherers more than 11,000 years ago decide to plant fig trees near Jericho and put down roots beside them. Figs were the first plant our ancient ancestors ever domesticated. I might be slightly obsessed with them. Which is why I’m attempting to grow a fig tree in damp and grey Northern Ireland.

I love their natural sweetness like toffee and the slight crunch from the tiny seeds. You don’t need to add extra sugar. Then there’s something exotic about the flavour and aroma of rose petals which complements figs perfectly.

This fig recipe is paleo. Leave out the ground cardamom and you can enjoy it on the autoimmune protocol as well. The syrup is only slightly sticky from the natural sugars in the figs and the balsamic vinegar. The figs are soft and yielding.

Rose-scented figs

A lightly spiced, sweet and tangy fig compote with an aroma of rose petals. Complements crustless no-bake orange and rose cheesecake. Goes well with liver parfait or cheese. Delicious enough to eat straight from the jar.

Course Dessert

Keyword balsamic, best, cardamom, cinnamon, fig, fig compote, orange, rich, rose water, rosewater, spiced

Cook Time 15

Servings 16 servings

Equipment

saucepan

Ingredients

4 tablespoons water 30 ml
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 12 ml
2 strips orange peel use a vegetable peeler
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch ground cardamom
225 g dried figs, halved ½ pound
1 tablespoon rosewater

Instructions

Bring water, balsamic vinegar, orange peel and spices to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the figs, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust flavourings. Remove orange zest strips and cinnamon stick, and discard. Turn off the heat and stir through the rosewater. Allow to cool.

Notes

Tips

Serve with baked cheesecake as a dessert. Or with cheese or pâté for something savoury.

Catriona Walsh

Dr Catriona Walsh is a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, working in Belfast and Mid Ulster. She is a therapist near Antrim who can support your health goals. She provides advice on diet, supplements and lifestyle. She has improved her own health having experienced a decline following a gadolinium based contrast MRI.