Honeyed Ricotta with Figs

Serves 4 · 15 min prep

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tbsp wildflower honey
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch pinch fine sea salt
• 8 fresh ripe figs
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp extra honey for drizzling
• 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Place the ricotta in a medium bowl. Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until it loosens and becomes creamy and slightly fluffy.
2. 2Fold in the wildflower honey, lemon zest, vanilla, and sea salt until the mixture is smooth and lightly sweetened. Taste and adjust honey if your figs are very tart.
3. 3Divide the honeyed ricotta among four small shallow bowls or plates, swirling the tops with the back of a spoon to create little wells for the fruit.
4. 4Trim the stems from the figs and quarter them lengthwise so the rosy interiors show. Arrange the fig quarters over and the ricotta in each bowl.
5. 5Scatter the toasted pine nuts evenly over the figs and ricotta. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves for a fragrant herbal note.
6. 6Drizzle each serving generously with extra honey so it pools in the ricotta wells and glazes the figs.
7. 7Finish with the lightest dusting of cracked black pepper for contrast. Serve immediately while the figs are cool and the ricotta is soft.
8. 8Offer small spoons and let guests mix bites of creamy ricotta, jammy fig, crunchy pine nut, and honey at the table.