***
Updated on October 1, 2007:

It came to my attention that I forgot an entrant for SHF #35 and for this I apologize profusely.

S. of the blog The Student Stomach sent along some Roasted Fig Dumplings that have to be seen to be believed. They’re mouth-watering!

Thanks, S.!

***

When Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess e-mailed me in July, 2006 telling me that if I wanted to host Sugar High Friday in September 2007, I was thrilled. I couldn’t believe it would take over a year for me to host, but I was thrilled nonetheless.

As I thought about what theme to choose, I was at a loss. It seemed that virtually every angle of the idea of “sweet” had been covered. It was then that the idea of figs came to mind. I love figs and have had the pleasure of eating a freshly picked fig. It’s one of nature’s greatest treats.

I’ll admit that I was a bit worried as I know that figs are not readily available in many places and even if they are, they can be quite expensive. But I hoped that offering people the choice of fresh or dried figs (or any fig product for that matter) would be enough to inspire them.

You have made my greatest hopes come true! The turnout for this event astonished me and I was repeatedly surprised (pleasantly) at the variety of desserts sent my way. Food bloggers are truly some of the most creative and brilliant people out there.

Without further delay, I give you the round-up for Sugar High Friday #35: The Beautiful Fig.

Fresh Fig Frangipane Tart from Katie of Apple & Spice.
Gorgeous fresh figs baked in an almondy filling and a buttery crust. Life doesn’t get much better than this!

Thanks, Katie!

Fresh Fig Pound Cake from Caroline of A Consuming Passion.
Beautiful fresh figs baked into an almondy tart. Talk about inspiration!

Thanks, Caroline!

Grilled Figs with Honey and Greek Yoghurt from Zorra of Kochtopf.
Zorra is my bread-baking inspiration. But for this event she’s also inspired me to grill fresh figs!

Thanks, Zorra!

Fig-filled Streusel Coffee Cake from Georgia of Mocktale.
Any excuse to bake a coffee cake is good enough for me. Georgia has given me an excellent one to bake this gorgeous cake!

Thanks, Georgia!

Vegan Polenta Banana-Fig Cake from Sarah of What Smells So Good?
I can tell you what smells so good. It’s this cake! I keep telling myself I have to bake with polenta more and Sarah has given me inspiration to do so.

Thanks, Sarah!

Figgy Cookie Sandwiches from Sunita of Sunita’s World.
Any time you can sandwich a cookie together, I’m okay with that. But when you sandwich the cookies together with figs and white chocolate - well now I’m just drooling! And as if the cookies weren’t enough, Sunita submitted a second entry: Eggless Figgy-Oatey-Orangey Upside Down Cake!

Thanks, Sunita!

Fig and Sesame Seed Jam from Vicki of A Work in Progress.
She has two fig trees in her backyard … I’m so jealous! Thanks for the jam!

Thanks, Vicki!

Fig, Date and Walnut Scrolls from Nora of Life’s Smörgåsbord.
It was such a treat to read about Nora’s first experience with figs and of course the scrolls only made it better.

Thanks, Nora!

Simple Fig Jam with Vanilla and Rum from Kate of Kate Hill - A French Kitchen Adventure.
Besides a beautiful recipe for jam, Kate provides so much for inspiration for the various dishes you can create with figs.

Thanks, Kate!

Fig Jam from Hippolyra of Fuss Free Flavours.
Not only was I surprised by how many recipes for fig jam I received, I was thrilled! Hippolyra’s jam is no exception.

Thanks, Hippolyra!

Fresh Fig Ice Cream from Sam of Becks & Posh.
Sam got her entry in early and I was thrilled because I got to look at the gorgeous picture of fresh fig ice cream over and over and over and over and over …

Thanks, Sam!

Mascarpone Figs from Emily of tomato_kumato.
Wow! That’s what I said when I saw Emily’s gorgeous photo of figs and mascarpone.

Thanks, Emily!

Fig Cake from Groetjes of In the Kitchen with van Arden.
While I’d happily learn Dutch just to read the post and directions to this cake, Groetjes did us a favour and posted it in English so that we can enjoy it!

Thanks, Groetjes!

Sticky Fig and Mango Pudding from Minko of Couture Cupcakes.
I was so taken aback by the pairing of fig and mango. I wish I could have tried it!

Thanks, Minko!

Fig and Concorde Grape Clafouti from Veronica of Veronica’s Test Kitchen.
I have yet to make a clafouti of my own and Veronica has given me a serious craving to do so with this gorgeous dessert.

Thanks, Veronica!

Figs Stuffed with Goat Cheese from Karen of FamilyStyle Food.
Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best. And people often forget that cheese can be served in a dessert as well. These figs showcase that perfectly.

Thanks, Karen!

Baked Organic Brie with Caramelized Rum Figs from Inge of Vanielje Kitchen.
All I have to say about this is when can I dig in???

Thanks, Inge!

Fresh Fig and Crisp Filo Tart from Marie of A Year From Oak Cottage.
Figs in filo sound incredible. Eating them from Oak Cottage sounds even better!

Thanks, Marie!

Fig and Almond Custard Tart from Kyla of Omnivore Herbivore Carnivore.
After this event I’m more convinced than ever that figs and almonds are the perfect pairing. This tart proves that!

Thanks, Kyla!

Fig & Anise French Macaroons from Brian of Caramel Cook.
I’ve never had an authentic macaron but Brian sure is tempting me. These are gorgeous!

Thanks, Brian!

Figs with Mascarpone and Walnuts from Nicisme of Cherrapeno.
Hurrah for someone else that got to try the joy of fresh figs! And again, the elegant presentation proves that you don’t have to go overboard with figs.

Thanks, Nicisme!

Fresh Fig Ice Cream from Nabeela of Trial and Error.
What an absolutely beautiful colour on that ice cream! I can only imagine how refreshing it was.

Thanks, Nabeela!

Provencal Sundae from Gayle of :pastry studio.
I can’t remember the last time that I had a sundae and this gorgeous dessert just about sent me right out to the nearest ice cream shop!

Thanks, Gayle!

Goat Cheese and Fig Cake with Fig Mascarpone Verrine from Helene of Tartelette.
My sweet Tartelette sent me the most incredible cake! I was so pleased by the addition of goat cheese and the verrine was new and interesting.

Thanks, Helene!

Friendship Cake from Arfi of Homemades.
Who wouldn’t want to be Arfi’s friend with a cake like this?!

Thanks, Arfi!

Fig Swirl Biscuits from Anh of Food Lover’s Journey.
It’s always such a pleasure to see Anh’s creations and these biscuits are no exception.

Thanks, Anh!

Stuffed Fig and Plum Clafouti from Pat of Feeding My Enthusiams.
I think someone is trying to tell me that I should make a clafouti. Pat combines figs and plums for a delectable pairing.

Thanks, Pat!

Figs from Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi.
Sometimes the fig on its own is dessert in and of itself. Thanks for the reminder!

Thanks, Bee and Jai!

Flowery Fig Fools from Amanda of Little Foodies.
Beautiful! Just beautiful!

Thanks, Amanda!

Grilled Figs with Laurel Leaves from Erika of Sweet Pea.
From a blog named after my favourite flower comes a lovely dessert featuring my favourite herb.

Thanks, Erika!

Warm Fig and Thyme Crisp with Fig Syrup from Michelle of Je Mange La Ville!
I’d “mange” this in a heartbeat. What a beautiful dessert!

Thanks, Michelle!

Fig Cream Cheese Bars from Polly of Slightly Cheaper Than Therapy.
Figs and cream cheese … mmmm!

Thanks, Polly!

Fresh Fig Tartlets with Mascarpone from Amanda of Figs Olives Wine.
Just beautiful! They’re almost like a work of art.

Thanks, Amanda!

Caramelized Figs with Spicy Yogurt from Anne of Anne’s Food.
Once again proving that simplest is best Anne pairs a very intriguing yogurt with lovely figs.

Thanks, Anne!

Fig Cookies and Fig Tarts from Maddy of Honey Pot.
Maddy was a busy girl! The cookies and the tarts are so delicious.

Thanks, Maddy!

Fig and Rosemary Cornmeal Tart from Connie of Life Love Chocolate.
What a beautiful reminder of how delicious cornmeal is in a crust and of how even more delicious figs are in that crust.

Thanks, Connie!

Pear and Fig Charlotte from Eric of Do You Know the Muffin Man?
My fellow George Brown buddy dropped in with this beautiful charlotte, another dessert I’ve never tried. Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks, Eric!

Fig-Blackberry Cornmeal Cake with Port Wine Reduction from Nan of Tuesday’s Gone.
Nan overcomes her “fig fear” in a big way with this lovely cake.

Thanks, Nan!

Chocolate Fig and Ginger Cake from Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen.
Another interesting pairing: figs, chocolate and ginger. Can I have the cake to myself?

Thanks, Cakelaw!

A Fig Cake for Fall from Manuela of Suessschnabel.
I’ll take this cake any time of year!

Thanks, Manuela!

Fig Biscotti from Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything … At Least Once.
I always thought that figs would go well in biscotti and Haalo proved me right!

Thanks, Haalo!

Figgy Bars from VeggieGirl of VeggieGirl.
Talk about delicious and healthy!

Thanks, VeggieGirl!

Chestnut Honey Panna Cotta with Homemade Fig Jam from Esther of Boxcar Kitchen.
I never imagined fig jam would be so popular but I’m glad that it is. Esther, you’ve created such a luscious jam and all I can say about the panna cotta is that I’m drooling!

Thanks, Esther!

Figgy Brownies from Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas.
The Queen of All Things Dorie made some pretty creative brownies. But why haven’t I received mine yet???

Thanks, Brilynn!

Red Wine and Vanilla Poached Dried Figs and Mascarpone Semifreddo from Linda of Make Life Sweeter!
Oh, Linda! You can bring this semifreddo right on over to me. Delicious!

Thanks, Linda!

Fig and Walnut Loaf from Mary of Alpineberry.
My sweet fellow Daring Baker Mary made this moist loaf. I wish I could have tried some with a cup of tea.

Thanks, Mary!

Chocolate-Fig Pecan Bars from Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.
Another chocolate/fig pairing. And with pecans. My favourite! I love these bars!

Thanks, Peabody!

Goat Cheese and Fig Clafoutis from Monica of Pastry Princess.
Monica, with these clafoutis you could be Queen!

Thanks, Monica!

Fresh Figs with Mascarpone and Walnuts from Paz of The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz.
My sweet Paz came to SHF with a familiar treat that she improved by miles.

Thanks, Paz!

Fig and Honey Cookies from Joey of 80 Breakfasts.
Could I dip every single one of those delicious cookies in a big glass of milk? Yes, I think I could!

Thanks, Joey!

Honey Panna Cotta with Grilled Figs and Fig and Huckleberry Tart from Anita of Dessert First.
What beautiful tributes to the fig! I don’t know what to eat first!

Thanks, Anita!

Poached Figs in Spiced Red Wine with Buttermilk Ice Cream from Tania of The Candied Quince.
Tania returns to blogging with this incredible dessert. I got to eat it first hand!

Thanks, Tania!

Brandy and Honey Figs from Jennifer of Like to Cook.
Mmmm … brandy and figs. I’d never thought of that combination but it sounds divine.

Thanks, Jennifer!

Fig and Almond Frangipane Tart from Rose of 64 sq. ft. Kitchen.
What I wouldn’t give for a slice of this piece of heaven!

Thanks, Rose!

Homemade Fig Newtons from Quellia of All Things Edible.
I love me my fig newtons and these ones look great!

Thanks, Quellia!

Balsamic-glazed Figs with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone from Jennifer of Weekly Dish.
I’m amazed at all the variations with mascarpone. The glaze on the figs is mouth-watering.

Thanks, Jennifer!

Lady Baltimore Cake from Elisabeth of A Pinch of This, A Dash of That.
As I told Elisabeth, she must have been reading my mind because I’d been thinking about Lady Baltimore Cake. Thanks for satisfying my craving.

Thanks, Elisabeth!

Fig and Peach Newtons from Katie of Other People’s Food.
Katie comes to her first SHF with a fantastic pairing of figs and peaches. Well done!

Thanks, Katie!

Honeyed Fig, Almond, Pear Tart with Cream Cheese and Marzipan from Gabi of The Feast Within.
There would be a feast in anyone’s mouth if they tried this tart.

Thanks, Gabi!

Fig Scones from Laurie of Quirky Cupcake.
I honestly never thought of adding figs to scones. I can only imagine how moist and sweet these are.

Thanks, Laurie!

Honey Cardamom Figs with Yogurt from Eva of The Golden Shrimp.
I love adding cardamom to the figs. What a great way to pair a fruit with a spice.

Thanks, Eva!

Figs in a Cherry Caramel Sauce from Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey?
It took me awhile to go beyond Meeta’s gorgeous photos, but I’m glad I did. Cherries and honey together … I’m all over it!

Thanks, Meeta!

Red Wine and Pear Cream Tart with Fresh Black Mission Figs and Blackberry Coulis from Emilie of The Conscious Kitchen.
Another winning tart and I love the blackberry coulis!

Thanks, Emilie!

Fig Preserve Cake with Buttermilk Glaze from Lis (my sis) of La Mia Cucina.
I’d eat anything with that glaze on it. Anything!

Thanks, Lis!

Cucidati from Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction.
My sweet Liliana took the time out of getting ready for a trip to Italy to make these cookies. Now that’s fig love!

Thanks, Liliana!

Fig and Raspberry Compote Over Ice Cream from Steph of A Whisk and A Spoon.
I love all the fruit pairings with figs. Raspberries are another winner!

Thanks, Steph!

Spiced Fig Jam from Freda of Tudorpot.
Another luscious and interesting jam with figs!

Thanks, Freda!

Fig and Anise Ice Cream from Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity.
Figs and anise … oh yes, please!

Thanks, Dolores!

Obsession Scones from Melody of Fruit Tart.
Figs and coconut … oh yes, please!

Thanks, Melody!

Hib from FreshAdriaticFish of FreshAdriaticFish.
This entry takes the cake for the most original dessert. I’d never heard of this particular dish but am so intrigued.

Thanks, FreshAdriaticFish!

Fig Ice Cream from Mansi of Fun and Food.
I have serious ice cream craving now!

Thanks, Mansi!

Fig X Cookies from Rose of Rose’s Recipes.
X definitely marks the sweet spot with these cookies!

Thanks, Rose!

Fig Baklava Turnovers from Nicole of Audaciousness.
I’m amazed at how creative everyone has been! These turnovers are no exception. They look so crispy and delicious!

Thanks, Nicole!

Chilled Honeydew Soup with Fresh Figs and Orange Blossom-Scented Crème Fraiche from Meredith of Cooking 101.
Oh, Meredith! The soup! The figs! The crème fraiche!

Thanks, Meredith!

Fig Pomegranate Hamantashen from Rachel of Vampituity.
As I mentioned on Rachel’s blog, the pomegranate and the fig together are so exciting! And in a traditional cookie to boot!

Thanks, Rachel!

Black or Green Fig Hazelnut Cake from Marla of Bella Baita View.
My favourite Pasticcera came through with a glorious cake featuring figs and one of my favourite nuts: the hazelnut!

Thanks, Marla!

And that’s it my friends! I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for answering the call so beautifully. You have impressed me with your creativity and with your love of figs.

As we say goodbye to SHF #35, we look forward to SHF #36. The host is Andrew of Spittoon Extra. Stay tuned to Andrew’s blog for the announcement of the next Sugar High Friday challenge!

Ciao!