Fresh Fig Bars with Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks and Brandy

Several years ago at a restaurant in Boston my husband Scott and I shared a fresh fig and bittersweet chocolate tart. The memory of it and the desire to use fresh figs and chocolate together in a pastry has been with me during every fig season since that time. Being that it is that time of year again I decided to grab the figs and go for it once and for all! I've only made fresh fig bars once and I made them for a party at a friend's home. The recipe called for lemon thyme and I guess I either got a little carried away with the quantity of thyme in the fig bars or my lemon thyme was really strong. Anyway, the fig bars were so herbal tasting I thought they were horrible, everybody was eating them and I was just smiling and acting like they were delicious.

I think figs are beautiful just plain in a bowl but fig jam is so good and in this recipe you make a thick fig jam with brandy, honey and orange zest for the filling of the bars. I doubled the filling recipe so I would have extra to put on toast or in plain yogurt for breakfast. I also doubled up on the brandy, I like to be generous with the bandy so I can really smell and taste it in the jam.

Sweet ripe fig jam bars filled with melted chunks of rich dense bittersweet chocolate with a splash of brandy will transport you directly to heaven. You will never look the same way at a plain fig bar again. You may be thinking, how does she really feel about it???

The dough recipe I used is a delight to work with especially after the difficulties I had with my pie dough last week. It was so easy to handle but I was a little worried after I read the directions for rolling out the dough and forming the fig bars. Anytime you see written, chill it multiple times, the dough may resist, have patience, carefully peel, carefully shimmy, using the parchment as an aid, if the dough has gotten soft or sticky refrigerate again, you get the idea. The key is to follow the directions, flatten the dough into a rectangle, refrigerate for at least one hour and you're half way home.

The dough is rolled out into a large rectangle, cut in half, spread with fig jam and sprinkled with chunks of bittersweet chocolate.

This is where some of the chilling, shimmying, peeling and using the parchment as an aid takes place, it is so worth it!

The bars brown beautifully and just a small amount of the filling oozes out on to the parchment paper. Okay now for the fig bar recipe which I adapted from 'Farmer's Market Desserts' by Jennie Schacht.

Ingredients and Directions for Fresh Fig Bars
Makes 30 bars

Filling

3 cups fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mild flavored honey
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks, to sprinkle on top of jam filling

Dough

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water


Make the filling by combining the figs, sugar, honey, brandy, orange zest and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the figs are falling apart and the liquid is thick.

Remove the filling from the heat and cool slightly. Purée with an immersion blender but leave it slightly chunky. If the filling doesn't look thick enough continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

Make the dough by stirring together the flours, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer beat together the butter, cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl. Add the vanilla. Using a wooden spoon mix in the flour mixture. It will form a stiff dough Transfer the dough to a floured surface and flatten it into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment paper into a 15X10 inch rectangle. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and trim the edges of the dough. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut the dough in 2 -15X5 inch strips. Without cutting through the dough, mark the half way point in each strip of dough.

Spread half the filling on each strip and sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Leave a 1/2 inch border around the sides of the strips. Slide the dough strips on the parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Chill the dough if it seems sticky or soft. Using the parchment paper to help slide the plain side of the dough strip over the side with the filling and press it closed with your fingers. Carefully move one strip away from the other so they are about 1 inch apart.

Refrigerate the dough strips for about 30 minutes. Brush the tops with the egg wash and using a sharp knife cut the strips crosswise into 1 inch wide bars. Do not pull them apart!

Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes.

Bake until golden brown. Cool the bars and break them apart where you cut them. Store at room temperature for up to three days or freeze.