Dessert: Double Chocolate Figs

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
24 to 36 dried Calimyrna figs, depending on size

Instructions

For the stuffed figs: Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat just until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 8 ounces of the chocolate with a whisk or rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the top and let set for 6 to 8 hours at room temperature. Line a 9-by-13 inch sheet pan with parchment. Prepare the figs for stuffing by gently rolling them between your thumb and fingers to loosen the seeds and soften the flesh. Insert a wooden or metal skewer in the hole in the bottom and wiggle it to enlarge the hole slightly for stuffing. Repeat with the remaining figs. When the ganache is set, gently stir with a rubber spatula a few times. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a small round 1/4-inch tip (#803). Hold a fig stem gently between your index and middle fingers, using your thumb to support the fruit. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the fig's bottom. Gently fill the fig with the ganache until the fig is plump and full. Do not worry about leaks in the fig's skin. They can be fixed later. Repeat with the remaining figs. Place the figs on the prepared sheet pan and allow them to set at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Scrape the excess filling from each figs exterior using a sharp knife. For the chocolate coating: Place 17 ounces of the chocolate in a large stainless-steel bowl over simmering water or in a double boiler over low heat. When about half of the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and stir with a dry, heatproof spatula until smooth. Return to the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate reaches 115 degrees F. Do not let the temperature exceed 120 degrees F. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 7 ounces of finely chopped chocolate. Stir with a dry spatula until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth. Continue stirring every few minutes until the chocolate cools to 82 to 84 degrees F. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the size of your bowl, this may take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Once the chocolate has cooled, place over the simmering water very briefly to gently bring the temperature back up to 88 to 90 degrees F. This crucial step takes 10 seconds at most. If the chocolate goes over 90 degrees F it is likely to lose its temper and you will need to start the process from the beginning. Be vigilant and keep the water at the barest simmer. The perfect temperature for fluid dark chocolate for dipping is between 88 and 90 degrees F. To test for temper, smear a teaspoonful on a sheet of parchment or a plate. If it dries within 2 minutes to a glossy, smooth finish, it is in temper. If it doesn't set properly and looks dull and streaked, it probably needs more time to cool. Continue stirring and testing. Once the chocolate is in temper you should work quickly. Hold each fig by the stem and dip the bottom half in the tempered chocolate, then place on the prepared sheet pan and let the chocolate set. If the chocolate starts to firm around the edges, briefly return the bowl to simmering water to keep it fluid enough for dipping but do not let the temperature go above 90 degrees F. Snip off the very tip of each stem with a pair of sharp scissors.
This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.

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