25 finsand recipes

Yam bake a la orange: sliced yams layered with fresh orange, dried figs, and walnuts, drizzled with honey and orange-zest butter. A bright, naturally sweet holiday side without marshmallows.

Coffee-fig delight is a retro parfait-style dessert: vanilla pudding cooked with chopped dried figs and instant coffee, topped with coffee whipped cream. Easy pantry sweet ready in under an hour.

Fig layer bars with dried California figs and chopped nuts sandwiched between a buttery oat and brown sugar crumble. A chewy, fruity bar cookie in the style of fig newtons.

Vintage spice cake layered with sweet stewed figs and crowned with vanilla frosting and toasted coconut. This retro two-layer beauty transforms humble ingredients into pure nostalgia.

Popcorn surprises made with candy-coated popcorn ground fine and mixed into melted chocolate, then molded or cut into shapes. A unique candy that makes about 50 pieces.

Mock strawberry jam made with mashed figs and Jello for berry color and flavor. A Southern classic that sets in the jar over six weeks with no pectin needed.

Old-fashioned pineapple rhubarb marmalade with chopped figs and lemon. A spring preserve that captures peak rhubarb season in jars. Sweet, tart, and built for biscuits or buttered toast.

Fresh autumn fruits draped in a billowy sherry sabayon sauce with whipped cream and orange zest. Cantaloupe, figs, and grapes under a cloud of custard, finished with toasted almonds. Effortlessly elegant.

Basic Cincinnati chili simmered, not browned, so the beef stays fine and silky, spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and cumin. Ladle it over spaghetti for a 3-way or onto a hot dog for a classic cheese coney.