Name: Roasted Figs with Balsamic Glaze and Mascarpone
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: ½ cup balsamic vinegar; ¼ cup honey; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1½ pounds (680 grams) fresh figs , stemmed and halved; 4 ounces (113 grams/½ cup) mascarpone cheese; ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest; ⅓ cup shelled pistachios , toasted and chopped

Why This Recipe Works

To take things a step further, we turned simple roasted figs into an elegant dessert by infusing them with the complex sweetness of balsamic vinegar and the floral notes of honey. Reducing the vinegar on the stovetop turned it viscous and syrupy (much like the texture of high-end drizzling balsamics), and adding honey to it banished any harshness. Roasting figs on their own can yield dry, scorched fruit, so instead we roasted the figs in the oven in the balsamic glaze. As the figs quickly roasted, they grew increasingly tender and lent their natural sweetness to the surrounding syrup. While the glazed figs were delicious on their own, we created an easy creamy topping of honeyed mascarpone cheese, flavored with lemon zest. A final sprinkle of toasted pistachios added a pleasant crunch.

Before You Begin

You will need a 12-inch ovensafe skillet for this recipe.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Bring vinegar, 3 tablespoons honey, and butter to simmer in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to ⅓ cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add figs and toss to coat. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until figs are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven and let figs rest for 5 minutes. Combine mascarpone, lemon zest, and remaining 1 tablespoon honey in bowl. Divide figs among individual bowls. Dollop with mascarpone mixture, drizzle with balsamic syrup, and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve.