Fig, Honey, and Mascarpone Focaccia

I have a Chicago Hardy fig tree that I planted a couple of years ago. And by "I," I mean our lawn guy. Last summer/fall, it gave me and the neighborhood squirrels a handful of delicious, ripe figs. This past winter was a bitch and I thought for sure the tree was a goner. Luckily, it lived up to its hardy name and came back, but recovery took forever. Right now, it's covered with little green figs that I have no hope will ripen before the tree goes dormant for the winter.

*sad face*

it lives!

It is currently fig season, though, so I was able to cobble together a supply from the grocery store to make an easy dessert focaccia.

FIG JAM

2 lbs quartered (if you like it chunky) or chopped (if you don't) fresh figs - I used a combo of Lattarula, Black Mission, and Brown Turkey because that's what Whole Foods told me I could have.

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine figs, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring, until it starts to boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer for about 40 minutes until it thickens to jam consistency. Stir often so it doesn't burn.

Remove from heat after the thickening and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool completely.

the finished jam

FOCACCIA DOUGH

4 cups bread flour

1 & 3/4 cups warm water

2 TB extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar or honey

2 tsp salt

Add sugar and yeast to warm water, mix, and let sit for 5 min until bubbly. In separate bowl, stir together flour and salt. After bubbly, add oil to yeast mix. Stir flour mix into wet ingredients until everything is moistened.

Cover and let sit for 15 minutes, then do about 8 stretch and folds around the dough, forming into a roundish shape. Cover and let the dough rest for another 15 min. Do a second round of stretches and folds, then cover and let sit at room temp for 1 - 1.5 hours.

THE END GAME

2.5 cups of fig jam

5 oz mascarpone cheese

3 TB melted butter

1.5 cups quartered fresh figs

Line a 13×9 metal pan with parchment paper. Spread 2 TB melted salted butter over the parchment. Pour the proofed dough into the prepared pan and gently stretch the edges to fit. Spread about 1.5 cups of fig jam over dough and dollop half of the cheese on top. Fold dough over from edges to center, then flip it in pan so that the bottom is now the top. Stretch gently to fit to the edges. Cover and proof another 1 - 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 430° and move rack to lowest position.

On proofed dough, spread remaining 1 cup of jam and remaining cheese dollops. Pour remaining 1 TB melted butter over the top and dimple everything in with your fingers. Sprinkle quartered figs over the dough and press in lightly.

Bake for 25 minutes. Drizzle honey on top before serving, if you want.

-B.