Fall

Brandied Fig and Walnut Loaf

by:
October  2, 2011
0
0 Ratings
Brandied Fig and Walnut Loaf
  • Makes 1 loaf
Author Notes

Every year during the holidays I give the gift of baked goods to my friends, co-workers and neighbors. In each gift box I always include several mini loafs and every year I try to come up with something a little different. I have several jars of brandied figs that I made so I thought I would take my favorite banana bread recipe and tweak it to use the brandied figs. I added walnuts (they can be omitted if you have a nut allergy) and spices and the result is a delicious, moist figgy, nutty loaf. If you do not want to use brandied figs poached figs will be fine. —sdebrango

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 cup brandied figs chopped and slightly mashed, I added a tsp of the brandy syrup to the figs.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts rough chop
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Chop and mash your figs and set aside. Toast your walnuts and give a rough chop.
  2. In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy with mixer either hand held or standing using a paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time beating with each addition. In small mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, salt and spices whisk to combine.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg and stir to combine. Add the figs, sour cream,vanilla and walnuts stir to combine and put in your loaf pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Tester or toothpick should come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes turn out onto cooling rack, brush the top of the loaf with some of the fig syrup and cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
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  • LiveToEat1960
    LiveToEat1960
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • nogaga
    nogaga
  • gingerroot
    gingerroot
  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
sdebrango
I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking, I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando. I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.

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13 Reviews

LiveToEat1960
LiveToEat1960 December 11, 2012
This recipe caught my attention after I had finished my holiday baking last year but I made a reminder note for this year's baking adventures, and I have some figs currently soaking up some brandy. Will this bread improve with age because of the brandied figs, or is it best eaten within a day or two?
Thanks!
 
LiveToEat1960
LiveToEat1960 December 12, 2012
Thanks so much sdebrango. I am excited to try it!
 
Bevi
Bevi October 7, 2011
What is the least amount of time you would give the brandied figs to mature in their syrup?
 
Bevi
Bevi October 7, 2011
Thx - will ask my daughter to make for one of the Bird loaves.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 7, 2011
You can also help it along a bit by gently heating the figs to soften them up, in brandy, of course. I'd just leave them in the pan, covered, turning them over every so often, until ready to use. For a recipe like this, you could probably get by with a day or two, if pressed for time. Sounds so delicious!! ;o)
 
nogaga
nogaga October 5, 2011
Mmmmmm!!
 
gingerroot
gingerroot October 5, 2011
This sounds divine, sdebrango!
 
EmilyC
EmilyC October 4, 2011
Looks and sounds delicious, sdebrango! I don't have a favorite banana bread recipe -- this one looks like a great one with butter and sour cream! Will have to give this one a try!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour October 4, 2011
Yum! this sounds ahhh-mazing! Do you think ChezSuzanne's recipe for Drunken Honey Figs would work for the brandied figs?
 
Niknud
Niknud October 4, 2011
These sound just wonderful - would you be so kind as to provide instructions on how to make brandied figs? Would love to put up a batch for use in this recipe and for general indulgences in the upcoming holiday season!
 
drbabs
drbabs October 4, 2011
love
 
drbabs
drbabs October 4, 2011
We must all be in a comfort food mode with cool weather arriving. AJ made gingerbread yesterday, and I've been thinking about a variation on gingerbread that could be a breakfast cake with walnuts, and you make this cake. It's really interesting how this happens.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 2, 2011
Um, did I hear someone say, figs, brandy and walnuts?? I'm in!! Love the inclusion of sour cream, too, and that this is adapted from a banana bread recipe. Fabulous recipe!! ;o)