Baked Goods #2: Apple Walnut Fig Bread

My favorite fig products ... before my late summer taste test.   Ambrosia for the gods!

I absolutely adore figs.  Fresh figs, dried figs, fig preserves, fig spread, fig butter … whatever its form I'm seriously in love with this fruit.  So, imagine my delight when I discovered Adriatic fig spread at Whole Foods.  That stuff on crostini with a soft sliver of brie is the equivalent of my kryptonite.  I didn't think anything could come close, until I found Trader's Joe's fig butter.  That was like striking gold!  Now mind you, the Whole Foods spread is still my ultimate favorite, but this comes seriously close.  So, when a Facebook friend posted a pic of her traditional fig cake, my inspiration was sparked. After finishing a batch of honey banana bread loaves and finding myself without bananas to spare and quite a few names left on my holiday gift giving list, apple walnut fig bread was born.  And what a beautiful baby it is.  Here it is now for your tasting pleasure.

Apple Walnut Fig Bread

¼ c. minced dried figs

½ c. honey

½ c. butter, softened

2 eggs

½ c. fig butter

1 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. salt

¼ c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325°.   Add minced dried figs to honey and allow to sit for 10 minutes (so that figs can soften).  Cream softened butter and honey fig mixture together in a mixing bowl.  Add eggs, fig butter, applesauce and vanilla extract.  Mix until all are well incorporated.  Set aside while you work on dry ingredients.

Add oats to a food processor and process oats to create a course powder.  (If you have oat flour, you can skip this step and substitute with the same amount of oat flour.)   Add remaining dry ingredients to the powdered oats and blend together (which can be done in the food processor). 

Add walnuts to wet ingredients and mix to incorporate.  Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients until well mixed.  Spoon batter into a buttered and floured loaf pan.    Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

These may not rise like the banana bread, but they are wonderfully moist and delicious.  Hope your version is just as tasty as mine!