Mediterranean Baked Figs with Orange & Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6). Rinse the figs and pat dry. Cut each fig in half from stem to base — a clean cut straight down through the centre. Do not cut the figs into quarters; halves hold their shape better in the oven and present more beautifully, with the jewel-like interior of the fig fully visible. Arrange the fig halves cut-side up in a single layer in a shallow baking dish or roasting tin — they should fit snugly without overlapping, which keeps the syrup concentrated around the fruit rather than spreading thin across a large surface. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the fresh orange juice, orange zest, honey, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract until well combined. The syrup should smell intensely fragrant — orange, honey, warm spice, and the floral note of the orange blossom water all present. Taste it: it should be sweet, citrusy, and warmly spiced. Pour the syrup evenly over and around the figs in the baking dish. Drizzle the olive oil lightly over the cut surfaces of the figs. Tuck the fresh thyme sprigs among the figs.

Place the baking dish in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, basting the figs once halfway through with the syrup that has pooled in the base of the dish — use a spoon to scoop the syrup up and pour it over the cut surfaces of the figs. The figs are ready when they are completely soft and yielding, the cut surfaces are jammy and slightly caramelised at the edges, and the syrup in the base of the dish has reduced to a thick, sticky, deeply fragrant glaze. The edges of the figs where the flesh meets the skin should be beginning to colour and caramelise — this is the moment of maximum flavour. Do not overbake: figs that have gone too far will collapse entirely and lose their shape; they should be soft and jammy but still holding their halved form. The baking time will vary slightly depending on the size and ripeness of the figs — check at 18 minutes and add time in 2-minute increments if needed. The syrup in the base of the dish should be bubbling and reduced; if it looks thin and watery, return the dish to the oven for a few more minutes uncovered.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and leave the figs to rest for 3–5 minutes — they will be extremely hot from the oven and the syrup will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. The brief rest also allows the flavours to settle and the figs to firm up just enough to be handled and plated without falling apart. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs — they have done their work perfuming the syrup and the figs during baking. Spoon the reduced, sticky syrup from the base of the dish over the figs one more time. Scatter the fresh mint leaves over the figs just before serving — their cool, green freshness is the perfect counterpoint to the warm, sweet, spiced fruit.

Serve the baked figs warm, directly from the baking dish at the table, or transfer to individual plates — 3 fig halves per person as a dessert portion. Spoon the sticky, spiced orange and honey syrup generously over each serving — it is deeply flavoured and is as important as the figs themselves. If serving with dairy-free coconut yogurt, place a generous spoonful alongside the figs on each plate — its cool, creamy tartness against the warm, jammy, caramelised figs is one of the great simple contrasts in Mediterranean desserts. Vanilla coconut ice cream alongside is equally wonderful, melting slightly into the warm syrup. This dessert is best served immediately while the figs are still warm; it does not keep or reheat well, as the figs continue to soften and eventually collapse. Make it just before serving.