Fig and Raisin "Cream"

Ingredients

• 125 g / 4 oz well-soaked dried figs
• 125 g / 4 oz stoned raisins
• 275 ml / 10 fl oz / 1¼ cups red wine (not too dry)
• good pinch of ground black pepper
• ⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• soft dark brown sugar to taste
• 3 teaspoons rice flour or cornflour
• a drop or two of red food colouring
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Drain the figs, reserving the soaking liquid.
2. Discard the stalk ends of the fruit and put them in a saucepan with the raisins and wine.
3. Add the spices and a teaspoon of sugar and bring to the boil.
4. Take off the heat and cool slightly, then turn the mixture into an electric blender and process until smooth.
5. Add a little of the soaking water if the mixture is stubbornly solid.
6. Cream the rice flour or cornflour with a little more soaking water or wine and brighten the tint with a drop of food colouring.
7. Blend the "cream" into the dried-fruit purée.
8. Then return the whole mixture to the saucepan and simmer until it thickens slightly.
9. Season with salt and a little extra sugar if you wish.
10. The mixture can be served hot or cold over a sweet cereal dish, firm stewed fruit or - best of all - ice cream.
11. Some versions in other manuscripts are stiffer and make a good filling for tartlets or fried puffs.
12. One encloses the filling in pastry to make dumplings.