Fresh Figs with Crème Fraîche and Pistachio

Written By Melissa Guzowski

August always brings along a special treat in ABUNDANCE. Fig Season. My brother has a fig tree in his backyard, and the yield certainly leaves room for creativity. These figs need to be eaten or prepared, and fast. They don't stay fresh for long and there are TONS ripening all at once. So we've gotten creative over the years with spreads, jams, hors d'oeuvres, salads, you name it. A staple favorite for us is Ball's Canning Recipe for Fig Rosemary and Red Wine Jam, I make this every year without fail and it never lasts long.

But fresh figs are a seasonal delicacy, and eating them right off the tree will always be my favorite. They can be added to oatmeal, salads, charcuterie boards, snacks and need nothing but their own wonderful sweetness to pack a flavor punch. My father-in-law grew up with a fig tree in his backyard, so for his birthday I invented this treat. Whipped crème fraîche stuffed figs garnished with chopped pistachio and edible flowers. I add no sweetness to the crème fraîche as the fig brings enough of that to the plate, but if you'd like more you may always drizzle this little treat with honey for an extra burst of sweet. The nutty garnish paired with the sweetness of the figs combines into the fluffy creaminess of the crème fraîche to make your taste buds soar. This is definitely an hors d'oeuvres or dessert you can make to impress company as the presentation is a salute to the end of summer. I grow a ton of different edible flower varieties at home, pictured and used in this recipe were a variety of Pansy flowers with seeds purchased from Baker Creek Rare Seeds.

Notes:

A few tips and tricks I use to make this recipe quick, easy and painless. To get my pistachio's chopped fine without much effort, I usually just throw them into my electric spice grinder for a few seconds. The one I use is linked here: Dr. Mills Electric Spice and Coffee Grinder.

I use the my Kitchen Aide with the whisk head to whip the crème fraîche, but I usually just use a ziplock bag to pipe the whipped crème fraîche into the figs. You don't need anything fancy to get the job done, but a fancy piping tip if you have one at home definitely adds to the aesthetic!