Vanilla-Poached Fig, Cherry & Pistachio Parfaits

The final two heart-healthy ingredients - pistachios and cherries - make for the perfect figgy dessert pairing. Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla bean are all that's needed to prepare four super-sized, creamy parfaits.

Pistachios make for such a nice flavour with the figs, but for the next morning, the poached fig mix easily goes into breakfast mode with some muesli and walnuts stirred in with the yogurt. Either way, dessert or brekkie, it will put a smile on your heart.

The heart-loving menu:

Brekkie: Muesli-Pancakes with Honeyed Berries

Lunch: Black Bean Chili with Swiss Chard

Dinner: Pan-fried Fish with Blood Orange and Avocado Salsa

Dessert: Vanilla-Poached Fig, Cherry & Pistachio Parfaits

Continue to Recipe...

Vanilla-Poached Fig, Cherry & Pistachio Parfaits

Adapted from Bon Appétit Dec 2002

Serves 4

Eat with a late harvest Viognier (or Muscat)

1/3 cup honey

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups / 10 oz / 300g  dried figs - stems removed and halved/quartered

1 vanilla bean - seeds scraped and pod reserved (how-to video)

1/2 cup / 3.5 oz / 100g dried cherries

a large pot of Greek style yogurt

1 oz (25g) pistachios - 1/4 cup

1) In a medium saucepan over med-high heat, bring water to boil and stir in honey. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod into the pot. Stir in the halved figs, top with a lid, and let softly simmer for 15 minutes. 

2) Add in the cherries and simmer another 15 minutes. It should have thickened considerably, but still have quite a bit of liquid. 

3) Let cool a bit, pour in a bowl and then refrigerate three hours. Layer the figs and their sauce with yogurt in glasses to create the parfaits. Top with chopped pistachios.

Enjoy.
- Jo