If you enjoy a cheese board or a cheese course for dessert, this recipe is for you. It is a riff on my Fresh Fig and Walnut Bread and my Fresh Fig Salad. We are smack into fig season and I couldn’t be happier. This Fresh Fig Bread with Gorgonzola and Candied Pecans is sweet and a bit decadent with low notes of cognac and the oozy, bluey Gorgonzola. The flavor will only intensify over a day or two – assuming you can keep it around that long!

While I am not as lucky as my son and daughter-in-law who have their own fig tree, I do have access to different kinds of fresh figs. I chose Gorgonzola Dolce because it is a mellow, creamy blue cheese with a slightly sweet, nutty taste. While I think this option is perfect, you could also use a Cambozola or Saint Agur. Just make sure that the cheese is ripe and at room temperature so that it melts int to creamed butter and sugar.

You will not bite into this and immediately identify “blue cheese.” The addition is subtle. If you want a more in your face blue cheese experience, don’t cream the cheese with the butter and sugar. Instead, cut it into small chunks and add it into the batter at the end with the figs and nuts. I used 3 Tablespoons of the cheese, but again, if you want more of the blue cheese, then use 4 Tablespoons.

I used brown figs for this but green or Black Mission should also work. You want the figs to be just on the right side of being over ripe for maximum figginess.

I used Courvoisier as my cognac because that was what I happened to have. It’s known as “The Cognac of Napoleon”. You could use any cognac or Armagnac or you could leave it out. I think that it just adds that somethin’, somethin’. If you are concerned about alcohol, it will cook off and evaporate during the baking, leaving behind only its essence.

Because of the fresh fruit and the overall texture of the Fresh Fig Bread with Gorgonzola, I would suggest wrapping it tightly and refrigerating any unused portion unless your house is cool or you will eat it within a couple of days. Bring it to room temperature when you are ready to eat it. The bread will also freeze well. This bread would be a lovely addition to any charcuterie board or on your holiday table.

RECIPE

Yield: One 8″x 5″ loaf (about 8 servings)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of fresh ripe figs (About 1 pint)

2 large eggs

8 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

3 to 4 Tablespoons of Gorgonzola Dolce (See note above)

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 cups of Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon of kosher or fine sea salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1.5 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 generous Tablespoon of cognac (Optional, but recommended)

1 scant cup of candied walnuts or pecans broken or coarsely chopped (You can make your own, but I buy mine)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. with the rack in the middle. Spray or lavishly butter an 8″ x 5″ loaf pan. Crumple a piece of parchment to cover the bottom of the pan with a 2 to 3″ overhang along the long sides. This will make removing the bread easier. Spray the parchment paper (I actually forgot to do this and it still worked out.)

Prepare your figs by cutting off the stems. Then cut each fig into about 6 to 8 pieces depending on how big they are.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer (or your own brute strength!) cream the butter, Gorgonzola Dolce and sugar until the mixture is really creamy. Then add the vanilla, cognac and eggs, one at a time. Mix well.

Once your wet mixture is well mixed, add half of the flour mixture in two batches. After you add the flour the second time, but before you mix it through, add the figs and nuts. Just mix until there is no more flour visible, do NOT overmix. Any last bits, just mix by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Pour the the thick batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Ovens vary so check it when it starts to smell amazing.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 12 minutes before removing it to complete cooling. If you can resist, wait to cut the loaf until it has completely cooled.