Category: Dessert – Fruit

Servings: 6
Preheat: 300°
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Source: Gourmet

Ingredients
12 fresh figs
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup chilled heavy cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Prick bottom of each fig several times and stand figs in a buttered 9- to 10-inch flameproof gratin dish or ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle figs with 1/3 cup sugar, then add water to dish.

Bake figs in middle of oven, basting twice with pan juices, until tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to stovetop, then add 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Remove from heat and carefully ignite pan juices. After flames subside, juices should be syrupy. If pan juices are too thin, transfer figs to a shallow serving bowl, then boil juices until syrupy and slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, and pour over figs.

Beat cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and tablespoon liqueur using an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks.

Serve figs, warm or at room temperature, with syrup and cream.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

Servings: 1
Preheat: 450°
Prep Time: 15 min
Inactive Prep Time: 45 min
Source: Gourmet | September 2003
This is really easy and just what you expect.

Ingredients
1 sm apple (1/4 lb) such as Empire, McIntosh, or Gala
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp apricot jam
2 Tbsp brandy
1 tsp packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

Directions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 450°F. Peel and core apple, leaving it whole, then turn it on its side and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Reassemble to form a whole apple and brush with some of lemon juice. Put apple into a shallow 4-inch round or oval baking dish. Stir together butter, jam, brandy, brown sugar, allspice, and remaining lemon juice in a small bowl. Spoon 2 teaspoons of mixture into core of apple. Pour rest of mixture over outside of apple and bake, basting once or twice, 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, then insert cinnamon stick into core of apple and bake, basting frequently, until apple is tender and well browned and juices are thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes more.