Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 4
Dietary
Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the almond butter
- 250g/9oz ground almonds
- 1 free-range egg white
- 120g/4½oz caster sugar
- 1 orange, zest and juice
For the batter
- 125g/4½oz flour
- 125ml/4fl oz milk
- 3 free-range eggs
- pinch cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 30g/1oz butter
For the figs
- 25g/1oz salted butter
- pinch caster sugar
- 6–8 figs
- few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 100ml/3½fl oz masala wine
To serve
- 100g/3½oz mascarpone
- 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds
- icing sugar, for dusting
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
-
To make the almond butter, mix together the ground almonds, egg white, caster sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Place on some cling film and roll into a log. Wrap up well and place in the fridge.
-
To make the batter, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
-
Heat the butter in a 25cm/10in cast iron frying pan or 28x21x4cm/11x8x2in roasting tray. Pour in the batter and bake for 20–25 minutes or until risen and golden brown at the edges.
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Meanwhile, to make the caramelised figs, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sugar and mix together to make a caramel. Add the figs and caramelise for 5 minutes. Add the masala and the orange juice and simmer until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from the heat and mix through a few thyme leaves. Set aside.
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To serve, fill the risen batter with the caramelised figs and dot with the almond butter. Serve with mascarpone, flaked almonds and a sprinkling of icing sugar.