Spanish Fig Cake (Pan de Higo)

Friday’s entertainment is pretty funny. That last part is a real scream.

This artisanal fig cake is a specialty of Jaen in Andalusia, Spain. I went to a Bullfight in Jaen while on my honeymoon, but didn’t get to try this cake while I was there.

Then I saw it at our local supermarket, in the specialty cheese section. One taste, and it was instant Spanish Fig Cake love.

I searched around for a recipe to make my own and quite liked this one.

Serve the Fig Cake as part of a cheese board, a Tapas tray or as a savoury addition to afternoon tea. Muy bueno.

Spanish Fig Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups dried figs, stemmed and quartered
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon (next time I would just use a tiny pinch)
1 Tbs honey
2/3 cup almonds, slivered, toasted
2 Tbs plus 1 tsp sherry, divided use
16 slices (¼-inch-thick )~ about 6 oz, Manchego cheese to serve

Directions:

1. Place the figs in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and chop finely, pulsing for about 1 minute. Add the spices and honey and blend until combined, about 30 seconds, or until the mixture forms a ball. Add the almonds and process until coarsely chopped and combined with the figs, about 1 minute. Add 30 ml of the sherry and process until the mixture sticks together, about 1 minute.

2. Moisten your hands with 5 ml of sherry and shape fig mixture into a 13 by 8 cm log. Wrap in a 30 x 30 cm sheet of parchment paper, then plastic, and place in a 13 x 8 x 5 cm loaf pan, or another nonreactive container that will accommodate the fig mixture. Place a second loaf pan on top of the log to compress it into a firm cake, and allow to set for 2 days at room temperature.

3. Slice the cake into thin slices. Serve with slices of Manchego.

Recipe from Worlds Of Wonder Spain