Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (2024)

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Caramelizing figs brings out their natural sugars and leaves you with a deeply sweet little fruit to snack on or to use as an ice cream topping. Just be careful because these caramelized figs can be made in minutes and are addictive!

Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (1)

Will you shame me if I tell you that I just spent my entire summer watching Big Brother? If you consider yourself too intellectually advanced for trashy television like Big Brother (I'm jealous of you), then you probably have no idea what the show is about. But you know, even as someone who just watched an entire season of it, I couldn't quite tell you what it's about.

All I know is that it's a major time commitment as it's on three times a week all summer long. Three! At this point, I don't even feel like I'm intelligent enough to do the math to tell you how many episodes that means I watched this summer.

Or maybe I just really don't want to know. I suppose I need to give myself credit for the fact that I didn't watch Big Brother After Dark (the late night live feed you can tune into) or pay to subscribe to the 24/7 live feed so I could watch the house all day every day.

If I had the live feed, my life would be a very dark place and it's highly likely this blog would have ceased production way back in June.

In all fairness, I watch bad TV because I'm usually trying to get work done in the evenings and I can half work and half watch bad TV and still understand what's going on.

Sadly, I don't watch a lot of intellectual television because I'm not good at sitting on my couch and fully immersing myself into a show. I literally need to be doing something else at all times. Which usually means I'm working on my laptop...

But it also occasionally means I'm sitting with a big bowl of ice cream and eating my feelings. Everyone knows ice cream is more healing if it has sprinkles on top, but did you know that caramelized figs have an even stronger effect?

This recipe for caramelized figs was originally posted to We are not Martha back in 2010 and I thought it was high time for an update. Plus, I just really wanted to caramelize figs so I could top my ice cream with them.

How to Caramelize Figs

The recipe has been adapted from Martha Stewart's Cooking Schoolcookbook and is quick and easy, leaving you with a seriously delicious treat. If you haven't tried caramelizing figs yet, make sure you do before fig season is over!

And seriously, how pretty are these? It took me so long to find figs this season and I want them to stick around forever.

Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (2)

Because figs are delicious.

But figs covered in sugar are exponentially more delicious.

And let's not even talk about what caramelizing them does to their deliciousness levels.

More Fig Recipes

If you're as excited about fig season as I am, check out some of my other favorite fig recipes:

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Figs with Gorgonzola
Sweet Fig co*cktail
Fig, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Flatbread
Lemony Kale, Quinoa, and Fig Salad
Brie and Fig Cupcakes
Fig, Prosciutto, and Ricotta Flatbread
Fig and Quinoa Overnight Oats (from The Cook and Him)
Fig Tart (from The Sweet Occasion)

Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (6)

This is heaven. Give me a bowl of fig-topped ice cream, a really bad reality show, and my laptop any day of the week. My needs are pretty simple.

Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (7)

I really hope you're not judging me for my Big Brother fandom, but if you're still here after all my Bachelor rambling over the years, I'm assuming my TV preferences don't offend you much. Or maybe, just maybe, you're in this boat with me?

If that's the case, can we please have a fig caramelizing, Big Brother watching party? I think I need more friends like you.

Have you ever made caramelized figs before? Next up, I want to caramelize pears!

If you're looking for more fig recipes, check out my Dark Chocolate-Dipped Figs with Gorgonzola and my Sweet Fig co*cktail. I also love these Fig and Quinoa Overnight Oats from The Cook and Him!

📖 Recipe

Caramelized Figs

4.72 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Fig Recipes, Fresh Fig Recipes, Fresh Figs

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Makes: 24 caramelized fig halves

Author: We are not Martha

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
¼ tsp coarse salt
1 pint figs (about a dozen, halved lengthwise)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar (can also use ruby or tawny port wine, or marsala wine)
1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

In a large shallow bowl, stir together sugar and salt. Press the cut side of each fig into the sugar mixture to coat.
Heat a large skillet over high heat and add sugar-covered figs, cut side down, and cook until sugar and juices caramelize, about 3-4 minutes. As figs caramelize, turn them over.
Remove skillet from the heat and add balsamic vinegar. Return to heat and cook to reduce the vinegar a bit, roughly 30 seconds, making sure to scrape up any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat again and add butter and lemon juice, gently swirling to combine.
Serve figs immediately or wait until they cool to room temperature. Add to your cheese plate or top ice cream with the caramelized figs.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cooking School (affiliate link).

Share a Photo of Your Finished Recipe!Mention @wearenotmartha and share a photo if you've made the recipe!

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Caramelized Figs Recipe -- Easy Dessert | We are not Martha (2024)

FAQs

How do you make figs taste sweeter? ›

While figs are wonderful on their own, caramelizing them intensifies their sweetness and flavor to make them exceptional.

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What dessert is made from figs? ›

Sweetened with honey and scented with cinnamon this fig cake is both floral and fruity. Extra virgin olive oil and Greek yogurt keeps this cake moist and tender, while fresh figs baked into the batter make it centerpiece worthy.

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How do you preserve figs? ›

Figs can be frozen in several ways.

Sugar pack: Roll the whole figs or halves in sugar before packing into freezer bags or containers.
Syrup pack: Pack figs into freezer bags or containers and cover with a sugar syrup before freezing.
Dry pack: Place figs in freezer bags as tightly as possible without mashing and seal.

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Get More Info Here ›

Why don't my figs taste sweet? ›

Unripe figs can be rubbery, dry, and lack sweetness. The most effective way to tell your figs are unripe is to eat one before its peak. Most people only eat an unripe fig once before deciding to wait and allow figs to fully ripen before harvesting.

Learn More Now ›

Why are my figs not sweet? ›

Unripe figs are hard and have a rubbery feel to them. Additionally, ripeness can be determined by sweetness: the riper the fig, the sweeter it is. Other possible reasons fruit will not ripen are a lack of nutrients, insufficient sunlight, too much nitrogen, pests or disease.

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Why put baking soda on figs? ›

Sprinkle the baking soda over the figs; cover with the 12 cups of boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This helps remove any latex from the skin of any slightly under-ripe figs.

Are figs mold or sugar? ›

If you've ever wondered, what is the white powder on your Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Dried Figs, you might think it's mold, but more likely, it's actually naturally occurring fruit sugar crystals. This common occurrence is called sugaring on figs.

Find Out More ›

What drink is made from figs? ›

Boukha (Tunisian Arabic: بوخة) is a distilled beverage produced from figs.

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How many figs should you eat in a day? ›

When it comes to raw fruit, you can easily have 2-3 figs in a day. If you are having dried figs, stick to 3 figs and do not have them without soaking overnight. Our body can absorb the nutrients and digest some dried fruits and nuts in a better way when they are soaked well.

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Can you freeze figs for later use? ›

Freezing fresh figs prolongs their shelf life significantly. However, frozen figs will not have the same texture or be as full of flavor as fresh figs kept in the refrigerator and eaten within a couple of days. You may also not want to use them in the same way as fresh figs that haven't been frozen and thawed.

Are figs OK for diabetics? ›

It's worth noting that you'll often see figs listed as a “top pick” or “best fruit” for people with diabetes because of their low to moderate glycemic index. This means that they should not raise blood sugars as rapidly as high glycemic index foods.

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What is the healthiest way to eat figs? ›

The best way to enjoy figs is raw, with the skin and seeds intact. You can also remove the peels and scoop out the seeds, if you like, or cook figs by baking, broiling or grilling them.

Tell Me More ›

Can you eat a fig raw? ›

Fresh figs are usually eaten raw. They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish.

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Why figs should be soaked before eating? ›

Figs loaded with Fibre and protein it will keep you fuller for longer time. If you are eating dried figs, soak for overnight as it makes easier for digestion and most nutrients are absorbed.

Do figs get sweeter after picking? ›

Determining the ripeness of a fig can be a bit challenging since figs do not continue to ripen after they are harvested. Here are a few signs to look for to determine if a fig is ripe: Softness: Gently squeeze the fig. A ripe fig will be soft to the touch, yielding slightly when pressed.

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What to do with flavorless figs? ›

To jazz up a plain fig, plop it in your yogurt and granola, or drizzle some balsamic vinegar on it, or or eat it with any soft, tangy cheese and a little honey. A quick pan fry will caramelize them, and you can spread them on a crusty baguette or piece of toast—but all of this is optional.