- 1½ cups dried white Calimyrna or Mission figs, or a mixture
- 1½ cups Pedro Ximenez sherry or Shiraz
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Creme fraiche
- Snip the stems off the figs. Put them in a small saucepan with the sherry, honey, and water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the figs are soft and succulent, about 45 minutes. (Even though they’ll feel tender when you press one with a finger before that much time has passed, they do need to cook for the full amount of time.) Turn off the heat and remove the figs to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind. Cut some or all of the figs in half to expose their seeds.
- Bring the poaching liquid to a boil and cook until bubbles cover the surface and the texture is syrupy when you tilt the pan-about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup over the figs, cover the dish, and let stand until you’re ready to serve them. Place a few figs in individual small bowls for each person and serve with a spoonful of creme fraiche around them. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.