Brevas con Arequipe

The story

Brevas con Arequipe is a Colombian dessert with a clear sense of place. Brevas con arequipe pairs preserved or syrup-cooked figs with Colombia’s beloved milk caramel. The combination is familiar in homes, bakeries and traditional dessert displays. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 12 piece fresh figsfirm, preferably green
• 250 g panela or dark brown sugar
• 500 ml water
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 2 strip lime zest
• 300 g arequipe or dulce de leche

Method

1. Trim the fig stems but leave the

   Trim the fig stems but leave the fruit whole. Make a small cross-cut at the base of each fig so syrup can penetrate without the fruit splitting apart.

   Tip: Cook until a small knife enters the fig easily but the skin still holds the fruit together. Avoid: A hard boil bursts the figs; reducing syrup with fruit still inside can overcook them; too much arequipe hides the fig.

2. Bring water, panela, cinnamon and lime zest

   Bring water, panela, cinnamon and lime zest to a simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.

   Look for: the sugar dissolves completely

3. Add figs in one layer, cover with

   Add figs in one layer, cover with a circle of baking paper and simmer very gently for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until tender and darker in colour.

   Look for: tender and darker in colour

4. Lift the figs out carefully

   Lift the figs out carefully. Boil the syrup uncovered for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened, then return the figs and cool them in the syrup.

   Look for: slightly thickened, then return the figs and cool them in the syrup

5. Chill or serve at cool room temperature

   Chill or serve at cool room temperature. Split each fig just enough to reveal the centre and spoon or pipe arequipe beside or inside it.

6. Drizzle with a little reduced panela syrup,

   Drizzle with a little reduced panela syrup, keeping the arequipe visible rather than dissolving it into the sauce.

   Look for: Figs are tender through to the centre and the cooled syrup lightly coats them instead of running like water.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.