Figs, cacio e pepe cream

I’m all for easy appetizers or canapes that don’t require any cooking. Something you can prep beforehand, won’t add any stress and allow you to have something to treat your guests with as they roll in.

Fresh figs and cacio e pepe whipped cream are a match made in heaven. I’m absolutely loving this canape for a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party. It’s festive and celebratory and cute!

Ingredients:

3 figs, fresh

1 block cream cheese, 250g

1 tbsp ground black pepper

pinch of salt

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino from a block, not a pre-shredded packet

honeycomb, for garnish

microgreens, for garnish

a piping bag, or a ziplock bag

Method:

20 minutes before getting started, leave the cream cheese out of the fridge to allow it to soften just ever so slightly.

Slice fresh figs into quarters and place on a serving platter big enough so they are not squished.

In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, black pepper, salt and freshly grated pecorino. Using an electric hand mixer, start mixing on a low speed just to combine everything and prevent the black pepper and pecorino from flying off. Increase speed to medium and mix for a minute or two, until everything is well combined and whipped.

Add the whipped cream cheese into a piping bag, or a ziplock bag with a hole cut in the bottom corner.

Pipe the whipped cream cheese onto the figs, just a little button or maybe a bigger button’s worth of cream cheese on each fig. Add a tiny bit of honeycomb on top of the cream and finish with a few microgreens on top. Optional, add a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper.

You can do this all beforehand if prepping for a party. Just leave off the honeycomb and microgreens until ready to serve, as the honeycomb can drip and melt down if you give it too much time.