With a sweet scent and unquestionable versatility, figs produce an array of tasty treats, including fig pudding and fig-date cookies. Found in warm climates, the fruit grow like wildfire in California, Georgia, Texas and Alabama – basically in locations with hot summers and mild winters. Pick the delectable fruit from a tree and eat out of hand or consider one of the fig dessert suggestions found at the end of this post.

Ranging in color and texture, there are more than 150 varieties of figs – all bursting with their own supply of sweetness. Popular choices include:

• Adriatic: Light green skin and pink-tan flesh commonly used in fig bars
• Black Mission: Blackish-purple skin and pink colored flesh
• Kadota: Green skin and purplish flesh
• Calimyrna: Greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh
• Brown Turkey: Purple skin and red flesh – large southern fig also grown in California.

The Versatility and Benefits of Figs

Yes, figs make delicious desserts, and also provide eaters with a range of health benefits and flexible baking possibilities. For starters, you can embrace figs to achieve your weight management goals, as they contain a good source of dietary fiber. Other benefits of figs include:

• Delivering a healthy boost of potassium, figs can help lower high blood pressure.
• Besides the occasional rough patches or thick skin, figs do not require any peeling. Leaving the skins on figs when making desserts actually produces a stronger flavor.
• A variety of herbs and spices make satisfying accompaniments to sweet and savory fig recipes, including bay, thyme, aniseed and lavender.
• With 79 milligrams of calcium in an 8-ounce serving of figs, the fruit contains minerals that promote bone density.

7 Ideas for Fig Desserts

Fig Galette: With a buttery crust, fill your galette (flat, round or freeform crusty cakes) with figs for a pastry oozing intense flavor best topped with whipped cream.

Fig Tarts: Use fig preserves to create Cinnamon-Sugar Fig Tarts with ingredients, such as toasted, chopped walnuts (or pecans), ground allspice, and brown sugar. You can also add cloves to enhance the flavor of your favorite fig tart recipe. Consider blending a mascarpone cheese filling with Black Mission figs or serving a fig tart with paper-thin prosciutto di Parma, like the infamous chef Mario Batali.

Fig Cake: Use freshly chopped figs to create a moist cake for the holidays with hints of almond and vanilla extract. Add lemon or a dash of balsamic vinegar to fig desserts to enhance the sweetness of slightly underripe figs or awaken the flavor in ripe selections.

Fig Bars: If you love the taste of Fig Newtons with a cup of tea or coffee, then you’ll appreciate a good fig bar recipe. Try adding cardamom and rose water to enjoy a different take on the typical fig bar filling.

Fig Stuffed Apples: Stuff apples with fresh figs, honey, apple juice and lemon juice to create a tantalizing dessert that bakes in the oven for one hour.

Ice Cream Treat: Serve figs poached in juice or red wine with frozen yogurt or ice cream for a cold dessert. For the ice cream maker at heart, explore a recipe that focuses on figs.

Nutty Fig Delight: For a hearty dessert, stuff fresh figs with goat cheese and chopped almonds.

Image Credit: Linda Pannekoek (vanepan) on sxc.hu