Dried figs in the oven: how to make them at home

Homemade dried figs? Nothing could be simpler. A great sweet snack to treat yourself to in the middle of the day or at the end of a meal: preparing it at home is child's play.

What you need to know

To let the figs dry, the traditional method is also the most natural: just leave the fruit in the sun (for example on the balcony) for at least three days, the important thing is that the air is not excessively humid. This is why September is certainly the best time to prepare the dried figs, to be stored and enjoyed as soon as they are ready, but also in winter. For them to be used for drying, the figs must be picked at the right ripening point, i.e. when they are neither too soft nor too hard. The first important thing to remember for this preparation, however, is that the fruits must be cut in half: this way it is more convenient both to obtain a more uniform drying and to add a tasty almond heart inside the figs. And many people love this version, especially in the South.

Where and how to arrange figs

Once cut in half, but without dividing the two parts, the figs must then be placed on a tray covered with baking paper and then left in the sun, turning them a couple of times a day. To avoid the disturbance of some insects, it is advisable to cover the tray with a net, or, for those who have one, you can choose to place the figs on a wicker lattice with an upward opening. At the end of each day, therefore at sunset, do not forget to collect the figs at home, because the humidity at night would lengthen the drying time.

Storage of dried figs

After two or three days, after losing moisture, the figs will be dark and wilted. At this point there are two possibilities: you can stuff each pair of figs with toasted almonds or walnuts or continue the preparation without adding anything else. It depends on taste. In any case it is important, after having dried them, to leave the figs in the oven for about ten minutes (closed like a sandwich if there is the filling, in divided pairs if not) at 180 degrees. Just enough time to brown them. Finally, to preserve the dried figs in the best possible way, all that remains is to put them in a glass jar, kept in a dry place. If you want to add further sweetness to this recipe, you can decide to slightly caramelize the dried figs: just before taking them out of the oven, just add a few tablespoons of water with brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon in a bowl, mix well and brush the figs abundantly, leaving them in the oven for at least another 15 minutes.