Fig

A great homemade gift. Panforte (an Italian fruit-and-nut confection) is the topping for these bittersweet chocolates.

A light variation that’s a nice counterpoint to the many rich dishes on the Thanksgiving table.

This pressed sandwich creates an appetizing balance between sweet and savory with the addition of prosciutto and dried figs.

Not a fin in sight here—just a light, sweet finish to a healthy meal.

Brandy adds a little kick to this jam. Spread on toast or serve with a cheese plate.

**Editor's note:**The recipe below is from Perfect Parties by Linnea Johansson.

Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

Pastourma (also spelled basturma) is seasoned, cured beef.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: With roast chicken or pork, or spoon atop goat-cheese crostini.

This gently sweet ricotta tart provides a creamy base to a rich compote of dried fruit, which includes figs, sour cherries, and apricots (we much prefer the tangy California kind over Turkish). It's much lighter than a cheesecake, but it hits all the right spots. The Miraglia family likes the tart chilled, but we also loved it at room temperature.

These classic candies (called sweetmeats by the British) look sinful but are little more than dried apricots, figs, and plums dusted with nuts, cocoa, or sugar.

The restaurant uses sausages that are specially made by a local market, but you can use any mild pork sausage.

The figs for the sauce need to marinate overnight, so start one day ahead.

The smoky aroma of lamb grilling on skewers is ever-present across the Middle East. Here, the meat is flavored with traditional spices and a minty, sweet-and-hot glaze. Fresh figs and thick slices of eggplant make the perfect accompaniments.

Dried fruits and nuts are common in Moroccan pastries, but this tart is something special — the richness of the dough and the pop of the sesame seeds bring out that honeyed quality you normally associate with fresh figs. The cardamom cream is whisper-light, and the fresh orange segments are refreshingly cool.

Haroseth, a fruit and nut condiment, is one of the six elements on the seder plate at Passover. It is traditionally eaten on matzo and symbolizes the mortar that was used to build the pyramids.