I am pretty sure you can take any fruit in the whole wide world, dip it in chocolate, let that chocolate harden and we will all be happy.
I used to think that, at least. I now have three fruit exceptions. In my opinion, no amount of chocolate will make these three fruits delicious. They are, in very particular order:
- Durian
- Breadfruit
- Fresh lucuma (aka Egg fruit)
Blech. If you like any of these, I'd love for you to post a comment below and try and convince me I just didn't eat them right, they weren't properly ripe, or are just an acquired taste. Maybe it's like a cilantro thing? Or a Thrills gum thing (ten points if you know what Thrills gum is, the adored flavor of 'musk').
Moving on to the sweet and awesome fruits, let's talk about figs. I'm confident you're familiar with dried figs, but fresh? Have you ever tried fresh black mission figs?
I know these are not local, they never will be, but when I see fresh figs at our neighbourhood produce market, I buy them.
They're sweet and juicy with that little bit of crunch from the seeds is a side benefit to the number of delicious health benefits.
How to Select and Store Your Figs
- Purchase only a day or two in advance of when you are planning on eating them.
- Look for figs that have a rich, deep color and are plump and tender, but not mushy.
- You want firm stems and be free of bruises.
- Breathe in! They should have a subtly sweet smell. Sourness can be an indication of spoilage.
- Keep ripe figs in the fridge, covered or wrapped to keep them from drying out.
- As the bruise easily, wrap in a towel to ensure they don't get smushed in the fridge.
- Slightly under-ripe figs can be kept on the counter, away from direct sunlight.
Figs are also considered an aphrodisiac. Talk about side benefits! According to the Vegetarian Society "This erotic, fleshy fruit is said to act as a powerful sexual stimulant. Originally from Syria, it is one of the oldest known plants. Ritual copulation followed the arrival of the new fig crop in Ancient Greece and it is said to have been Cleopatra's favourite fruit. For the ancient Greeks the fig was one of the sacred foods associated with fertility and love."
So what would happen if we took this pleasure food and lovingly coated it in one of the greatest aphrodisiacs, chocolate?
Again, the Veg Society proclaims that "Chocolate has been used to stoke the flames of passions all over the world. Chocolate contains chemicals thought to effect neurotransmitters in the brain." Legend has it that its powers on the sexual appetite have led to a chocolate ban being imposed in some monasteries.
Simple, easy, delicious, and requires only three healthful ingredients. I know you are dying to bite in and savour this sweetness.
Chocolate Covered Figs
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8-10
A simple three ingredient chocolate dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 Dark Chocolate Bar. Get the highest percentage of cocoa you can find.
- 1-2 Tbs Coconut Oil, cold pressed, unrefined.
- 8-10 fresh figs, washed and dried
Make It Like So
- Place large pot of water and turn oven on to a medium heat. Place smaller pot inside the larger one.
- Add chocolate and coconut oil to smaller pot and stir gently as it melts. This gets tricky. If it stays on the heat too long, it will get chunky. The same happens if water gets in. If that happens you'll be forced to eat this batch of chocolate and start over. There are worse things.
- As soon as chocolate is melted and thoroughly mixed with coconut oil, holding the fig by its stem, start dipping!
- Place dipped figs on parchment lined plate. Once all the figs have been dipped, place in the freezer to set. Will take about 20 minutes and can then be stored in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
Optional Add Ons:
If you want to fancy your figs up, you can roll dipped figs in your choice of finely chopped pistachios, slivered almonds, coconut or a favourite topping of your choice.
Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook
ALSO ON HUFFPOST: