Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base Components
- 450 g chèvre goat cheese, chilled
- 11 fresh mission figs, room temperature
- 4 fresh fig leaves
Aromatics and Finishing
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 25 ml wildflower honey
- 4 g fresh thyme, leaves stripped and minced
- 3 g flaky sea salt
- 1 g black peppercorns, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 347 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 540 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 35 mg
- Potassium
- 221 mg
- Calcium
- 138 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 28 mg
- Phosphorus
- 205 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 223 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 113 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and ensure the rack is positioned in the upper third of the oven.
Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the chilled goat cheese logs into 12 uniform rounds, approximately 1.5cm thick.
Remove the tough stems from the figs and halve them lengthwise from the neck to the base.
If using fig leaves, arrange them in the bottom of the ceramic baking dish; then place the goat cheese rounds in the center and nestle the fig halves cut-side up around the cheese.
Whisk the olive oil, honey, and minced thyme together, then drizzle the emulsion evenly over the figs and cheese.
Season with sea salt and cracked pepper, then bake for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F) until the figs begin to release their juices.
Switch the oven to the broiler (grill) setting on high and broil for 90 seconds, watching intensely to achieve a golden-brown blister on the cheese.
Remove from the oven and allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes to let the juices thicken before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The quality of the figs is paramount; Mission or Brown Turkey varieties provide the best sugar-to-acid balance for roasting.
- Always use a ceramic or glass dish rather than metal to prevent a metallic tang from the fruit acids.
- Serve with a toasted baguette or sourdough to soak up the residual thyme-honey oil.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Figs will soften further; best enjoyed immediately.
Reheating: Warm in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is pliable.
Troubleshooting
Cheese completely lost its shape and turned into a liquid puddle.
Cause: The goat cheese had too high a moisture content or was a 'spreadable' variety rather than a log.
Fix: Cannot be fixed visually, but it will still taste excellent as a warm dip for crusty bread.
Prevention: Ensure you purchase a firm chèvre log and keep it chilled until the moment of slicing.
Figs are dry and tough after baking.
Cause: The figs were under-ripe or the oven temperature was too low, causing dehydration instead of caramelization.
Fix: Drizzle with an additional 15ml of honey and 10ml of warm water, then cover with foil for 5 minutes to steam.
Prevention: Select figs that yield slightly to gentle pressure and ensure the oven is fully preheated.
Cultural Context
This dish is a modern interpretation of 'Le Fromage de Chèvre aux Figues', a classic pairing found in the markets of Provence during the late summer harvest when figs reach their peak sweetness.
