Dried Figs have the capacity to last much longer than the Fresh Figs who do not travel well but also last for roughly 4 days. So the dried Figs is a better option if you want to have the taste of Figs without the invenience of having to throw them into the compost when a couple of days later you find out that they are off.

Therefore it make sense to have a pack of Dried Figs at hand in the Food Cupboard or the Pantry. On their own they do make a nice little Snack, healthy at that. Another nugget of a Snack which can also be served on a tray for a Cocktail Party, is to insert a whole Blanched Almonds within the Fig. Drizzle all the Stuffed Fig Snack with Honey to roast them for 3 to 5 minutes in the oven. You can prepare 2 dozens of them, because when one is tasted by a Guest, the Guest will usually come back for more.

In my Childhood I had that love of Fig Biscuits and Fig Rolls which really never left me. Nowadays preparing a nice pots of Fig Jam partly with Dried Figs and Partly with fresh ones can go a long way. Just imagine a Chocolate and Ginger sponge to do a Swiss Roll, spread it with Fig Jam, then spread some Cream Cheese, which you dot with Chocolate Buttons an chopped Stem Ginger, and thinely chopped fresh Figs or Dried Figs. Then  roll. Keep within a cling film tightly and pop the Swiss Fig Roll in the Fridge for half an hour. You will have a nice Tea time treat to indulge someone to. 

Like all Dried Fruits, the Dried Fig can absorb Liquid very well. It can be a major component of a wintery Dried Fruits Salad. Served in individual small bowls the Fruit Salad can be Managed efficiently. The reason is because Cognac is poured upon the Dried Fruits. However one must think of the Children, the individuals driving back, the guest which do not drink Alcohol because they stopped drinking, because of Religion, or because of their own choice. The ready alternative can be then be Grape Juice. The winter Dried Fruit Salad will have per bowl three Dried Figs, a few Dried Cranberries, some Dried Currants and some Dried Raisins. The Salad is laced by a light Mapple Syrup and some Cognac then decorated by Flaked Almonds.

We mentioned Dried Fig Jam but we should also mention that Dried Fig make excellent Chutneys. Fig Chutney goes particurlaly well with Venison and Wild Bird, hot or cold. I will add that it also does marry with Paté like the Paté des Ardennes, but also with Pork and Ham Hock Terrine. Finally a Fig Chutney can find its place on a Cheese Platter for it is deliciously fruity and tangy which means it can cut through the fatty indulgence of heavy strong in taste Cheeses.

Of course we can not mention Dried Fig without saying, naming one of the most important Pudding of the year: the Christmas Pudding. Dried Figs plays a great part during the Christmas season and the Chistmas Figgy Pudding is the reflection of that.

  Christmas Figgy Pudding.