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We are deep into fig season, and I was ready for some a fig-related recipe. I knew I wanted whipped brie in it because, well, what’s new? The outcome was an appetizer recipe for Fig Brûlée – the whipped fig brie is deeply savory and slightly sweet, with a caramelized sugar top – I mean, come on!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Fig Brûlée
These little Fig Brûlée bites are amazing. First off, they’re easy. Mix it, pipe it, torch it, and you’re done. In this recipe, the figs can be piped with the whipped fig brie up to a day ahead, then torched right before – making this such a great appetizer for company. Now, let’s talk about the taste. Whipped brie, fig, honey with a caramelized sugar top. I don’t feel like I even need to elaborate!
Prep Like a Pro
Ripe Figs – How do you know if a fig is ripe? Gently squeeze the fig. It should be slightly soft, without being mushy. It should smell slightly sweet. Watch for bruising.
Cold Brie – Make sure your brie is cold before cutting off the rind. It will come off much cleaner this way, not wasting any of the soft insides.
Piping – Using a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off will give you more control than spooning it into your Fig Brûlée. Make sure you do not overfill it or else it can slide right off as you’re torching the sugar.
Make Ahead – This is where you pause if you are making these ahead. Cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Sugar – You want to get the sugar coating as even as you can. That’s why you roll it in the sugar instead of sprinkling it. When you brûlée them, this will help get the best caramelized crust.
Torch – Keep your torch moving in circles. You don’t want to stay in one place too long and burn part of the sugar while the rest isn’t caramelized.
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🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
When coating your Fig Brûlée with sugar, you just want a thin layer. If you go too thick, it will be hard to get that iconic caramelized shell. Go slow with the torch, moving in circles so you caramelize evenly and don’t burn part of your appetizer.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitutions
- Torch → DO NOT put under the broiler. Instead, use the heated spoon technique. See the Fig Brûlée: Questions Answered for more details.
- Brie → You can use whatever your preferred soft cheese is. Goat cheese or a triple-cream cheese would also work great. For a vegan option, a soft cashew-based cheese would be delicious.
- Honey → Maple syrup or agave are an easy swap for the honey.
- Variations
- Herb Infused → Add some fresh herbs to your whipped fig brie for an herby bite.
- Nutty Crunch → Candied walnuts would be amazing thrown into the whipped fig brie, especially for the holidays. Walnuts, cashews and pistachios would also add a great nutty crunch.
- Crispy Prosciutto → Crisp up some prosciutto and break it into small pieces, then add it to the whipped fig brie for some crunch.
The Perfect Pairings
This Fig Brie Brûlée appetizer is giving off holiday vibes, so that is the type of recipes what we are going to go with for the perfect pairings. For your cocktail, a Dirty Blue Cheese Martini, trust me on this one. It has gone viral, and for good reason. For your mains, Chateaubriand with Potato Puree and an Arugula Fennel Salad would be amazing! These are all company-friendly too!
Fig Brûlée: Questions Answered
DO NOT put them under the broiler though. By the time the sugar caramelizes, the rest will be baked and melty. While sometimes that’s good, it’s not what you want in this recipe, trust me.
Instead, try using the old heated spoon trick. Take a metal spoon and heat it over a fire until it’s hot (not red-hot) and carefully press it to the sugar. Repeat until you have caramelized all of them. This will take awhile, but it won’t ruin the dish. You can also always invest in a good torch because they’re very handy to have in the kitchen.
Yes! With this appetizer, when you stuff the figs with the whipped brie and place them covered in the fridge to set, you can just leave them in there for up to 1 day. When you are getting close to serving them, pull them out and continue with coating them in sugar and then brûlée them right beforehand.
I just set mine on a plate, and they were okay. If you are having a hard time, you can place them in a muffin tin to hold them in place better.
Fig Brûlée
Equipment
- spoon
- piping bag, or a Ziploc with the corner cut off
- small bowl
- torch
Ingredients
- 6-8 figs
- 6 oz brie
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 pinch cane salt
- sugar
Instructions
- Cut your figs in half and carefully scoop the insides out into your food processor.
- Remove the rind from the brie and add the inside of the cheese to the food processor. Add the honey and a pinch of salt.
- Process until smooth.
- Add the fig brie mixture into a pipping bad, ziplock bag with the edge cut off or just use a spoon. Take your hollowed out figs and stuff them with the fig brie. Make sure that you don't overfill it or it can slide off when you brûlée it.
- Cover and place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. You can leave them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, fill a small bowl with sugar. Roll your fig brie in the sugar and coat it evenly. Torch the top to caramelize the sugar and enjoy!
Kitchen Cam
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
