Olive Oil Roasted Studded Figs with Whipped Vanilla Mascarpone

Ingredients

• 12 large figs
• 150mls extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla pod
• 12 cloves
• 12 thin slices of ginger
• 100gms icing sugar
• 250gms mascarpone

Method

Wash and pat dry the figs.

Split the vanilla pod half and cut each half into 6 lengthwise pieces.

Cut the cinnamon stick into 12 lengthwise pieces.

Using a bamboo skewer make a hole in each fig and thread through each fig.

Stud each fig with the cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and a slice of ginger.

Brush the inside of a non stick roasting dish with a little of the olive oil and set the figs in a singlel layer in the dish.

Splash over the remaining oil and dust with the icing sugar.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC and cook till soft, approx 12 - 15 minutes.

TO SERVE:

Spilt the vinailla pod lengthwise and scape the seeds onto the mascarpone and gently fold together with a whisk.

Remove the figs from the oven ad place neatly onto a rectangle plate in lines and serve with the vanilla mascarpone.