Maple Fig Crisp with a Maple Mascarpone Sauce

This is the perfect dessert to bring to a picnic or a party.  The figs are soft and subtly sweet while the topping is wonderfully crispy hence, the name.  The cool thing about a crisp is that you can use any local and seasonal fruit.  If you are a vegan, this Maple Fig Crisp is vegan, just leave off the sauce.

Last Saturday evening, Robby and I attended our friend Erika’s surprise birthday party. Gary, Erika’s husband hosted it at a new local brewery called “Steel Bonnet Brewery”, which has not yet opened to the public.  Our friend Leif’s friend Tristan and his lovely wife Celia drove up from Santa Monica to attend the party.  This was our first time meeting them even though we have many of the same friends in common due to growing up in Santa Monica.  There is something special about meeting people from the place you grew up in.  Only they can relate to you in a way no one else can.  It’s like we have known them our whole life!   I think the connection is even more dramatic for those who grew up in Santa Monica/ Venice. It’s really like no other place on the planet!  It’s kind of crazy how many people say they are from there but when you ask them what school they went to they are all “ummm well I moved here in my early twenties”.  Most residents are actually transplants, so when you meet someone who is actually from there, its pretty cool!  The really small world part of the story is that Celia and I grew up a block away from each other.  She is younger than me and she said her parents would never let her go out!  We also discovered our birthdays were three days apart, hers is September 2nd and mine is the 5th. We both thought that was cool!

This obviously goes with any milk, coffee or tea but I enjoyed it with a white Rueda.  What would you drink with it?

Maple Fig Crisp Recipe:

8 – 12 servings

Maple Caramelized Figs

• 24 – 30 Figs – cut into quarters
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons White Wine
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil or Butter  (I used olive oil)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

•  1/2 Cup Raw Almonds – ground
• 1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts – coarsely ground
• 1/2 Cup Whole Oats – ground
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1/3 Cup Turbinado Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Powdered Coriander
• 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons melted Coconut Oil or Butter

Topping (optional)

• 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Maple syrup (depends on desired consistency and sweetness)

Instructions:

Maple Caramelized Figs

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the stems off the figs and slice them into quarters.  In a 9×13″ baking dish, place the figs along the bottom.  In a small bowl mix the syrup, wine, oil, vanilla and salt together then drizzle the syrup mix over all the figs.

Put in oven on the middle shelf for 15 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.

Crumble

In a food processor, grind the almond to a fine crumb texture and pour into a large bowl.  Add the walnuts and pulse until it is a coarse crumb texture and add to almonds.  Add the oats to the processor and pulse until the texture is in between whole oat and flour texture.  Add the flour, sugar, coriander and salt then mix well.  Add the oil and mix in until it is a crumbly consistency.  Put in the refrigerator for at least 15 minute so the oil can harded.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

When the figs are cooled down, evenly top them with the crumble topping and put on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Topping

With an immersion blender. food processor or blender, puree cheese and syrup until smooth.