I’m so happy to announce my baby boy made his grand entrance into this world on July 29th. Labor went incredibly well, no complications what so ever! Little Frank has been such a good baby. He coos all day and night, asleep or awake! He’s been such a good baby so far, we really are so fortunate to have him in our lives. I’ve taken a bit of a social media/baking break for this last month just to soak up all the baby snuggles I could. It’s been great to just turn everything off and live only for him for the moment. I’ve got just a little over a week left of maternity leave and I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things. I couldn’t let this fig season pass without posting a recipe for it this year, so here it is!
Figs are one of my favorite foods of all time. It’s so versatile! Not only can you use it in dessert (fig & cheese danish, fig & goat cheese tart), it’s also great in savory applications. Hello, have you ever had sliced fig and prosciutto on pizza? Fig season rolls around in the late summer each year and my favorite way to eat them is just by themselves. They’re plump, juicy and not too sweet. One day, I will have a fig tree in my backyard, and my life will be complete.
For this recipe I wanted to keep things simple. I love roasting figs because it brings out the natural deep flavor even better. I tossed these fresh figs in some balsamic, honey, olive oil, and just a little salt- and the results were magic. It’s tangy, sweet, and full of flavor. I layered a simple vanilla custard with a crunchy pistachio oat streusel, and topped with the roasted figs. So simple, so elegant, and not a huge mess to clean up. You need to try this! I recommend making the parfait custard and streusel first, then topping with the hot roasted figs before serving. The contrast in temperatures only adds to the decadence of this dessert. Trust me!
Lastly, I want to announce a new book I had the pleasure of editing! The Essential Pie Cookbook is a pie compilation cookbook that includes select recipes from my previous books, in addition to some great new recipes from other author contributors! I know, I know, another pie cookbook? Yes, there’s always more ways to celebrate with pie, I promise this one is a good one! It includes various sweet, savory, mini, nutty, chocolatey, and more. The release date for this book is Sept. 28, but pre-orders have already begun. For those who have bought my books, thank you so much for your support. It truly means the world to me that I get to share my passion with you all. And as always, happy baking, friends!
Baby Frank 
Honey Balsamic Roasted Fig Parfait
Yield 4 Ramekins
Vanilla Custard
Yolks 3
Butter, Cold 2 Tbsp.
Whole Milk 2 cups
Vanilla 1 tsp
Sugar ½ cup
Cornstarch 2 Tbsp.
Honey Balsamic Roasted Figs
Figs 1 pint (about 8-10 figs)
Salt ¼ tsp
Honey 2 Tbsp.
Olive Oil 1 Tbsp.
Balsamic 2 Tbsp.
Vanilla ½ tsp
Pistachio Oat Streusel
Pistachios ¼ cup
Brown Sugar ¼ cup
Salt ¼ tsp
Flour 2 Tbsp.
Oats ¼ cup
Butter, Cold 2 Tbsp.
Directions:
First, make the vanilla custard. Place milk in a small sauce pot with vanilla. Place egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth and fully incorporated. Set up an ice bath by placing ice water in a large bowl, and a separate smaller bowl to go inside. Heat the milk on medium high heat. Before it begins to boil, temper in the egg yolk mixture and return to the saucepot. Continue to whisk the custard until it’s as thick as pudding. Quickly pour custard into the bowl over ice bath, and whisk in cold butter. Continue to whisk the custard over ice water until it cools down a little. Let the custard sit in the ice bath for about 20 minutes, then divide custard into 4 ramekins (or glasses). Chill custards in refrigerator for 4+ hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the pistachio oat streusel, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse together until it resembles small crumbles. Pour out evenly onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool on the sheet tray, then break it up into crumbles and set aside.
To make the roasted figs, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Quarter all figs and toss them into a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray, then pour in fig mixture. Roast on the top rack of your oven for about 15 minutes. Figs should look like they’ve broken down and there should still be some sauce pooled around. Transfer figs and juices to a small bowl and prepare to assemble.
To assemble the parfaits, scoop pistachio streusel over the custard, and top with roasted figs. Continue for each parfait, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Honey Balsamic Roasted Fig Parfait
