Looking for a double duty breakfast? This espresso fig compote will feed you AND get you caffeinated! It goes great with yogurt or oatmeal. Make a batch and have it ready to go all week! This compote also works well as a dessert served over ice cream or frozen yogurt. So fancy!

How To Make Espresso Fig Compote

First, combine espresso, water, figs, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange zest in a saucepan.  The spices are warming and the honey adds a nice touch of sweetness!  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Continue to simmer liquid, uncovered, reducing until it turns into a more syrupy consistency.  Serve over yogurt for breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Compote: chunky, saucy, marmalade that you can add onto yogurt or put on ice cream for dessert, put it in oatmeal…a great topping for many different types of food!

Fig Nutrition

Figs are packed full of fiber.  Just 3-5 figs provide 5g of fiber.  The American Heart Association recommends we get 25g of fiber per day.  Fiber is important for gut health, plays a role in maintaining blood sugars, and supports digestive health by keeping us regular.

Figs are naturally sweet, so you don’t need to add much, if any, sugar to them.  In this recipe I like to add a touch of honey for extra sweetness, but the fig compote would still be sweet without it!

Figs also contain calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and are high in phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients are plant nutrients that may improve immunity, slow down aging, and contribute to lowering the risk of chronic disease.  Enjoy these nutritional benefits in my Fig Compote!

Types of Figs

Which type of fig do you want to use in your Fig Compote?  There are hundreds of different types of figs.  6 different kinds are commonly grown in the US.

1. Adriatic figs are from the Mediterranean and are higher in natural sugar. They work well in desserts or for dried figs.  This type of fig has a green skin and a light pink inside.
2. Black Mission figs have a dark purple outside and a pink flesh. They have an earthy flavor like cabernet.
3. Brown Turkey figs have a purple skin and are red inside. You can find them in both fresh and dried forms and have a flavor similar to Pinot Noir.
4. Calimyrna figs are large with a greenish-yellow color. They are the same as the Smyrna fig, but are grown in California.  They have a nutty flavor when dried.
5. Kadota figs also have a greenish-yellow outside and a purple inside. Since they usually have few to no seeds, they are great for making preserves!
6. Smyrna figs are the same as calimyrna, but not grown in California.

Try different types of figs in my Espresso Fig Compote and see your favorite!

Dried Figs

Figs only stay good for about a week after harvest.  Because of this, most figs are dried to extend shelf-life.  Dried figs are a good source of fiber, Vitamins B6 and E, potassium, and phytochemicals.  Dried figs are much more calorie dense than fresh, and they are high in sugar.  They can make a great sweet dessert but watch your portion sizes!  It is easy to eat large amounts of dried fruit because of the decreased volume.  You would probably not eat 15 fresh figs, but it is easy to eat 15 dried, which can lead to excessive calorie intake.

Similar Pages

Looking for similar recipes?  Try my Blueberry Chia Jam, Pistachio Nut Butter, and Figs and Ricotta!

References

“Nutrition Professionals – California Figs.” California Figs, https://californiafigs.com/resources/nutrition-professionals/.

“Types of Fresh and Dried Figs.” Berkeley Wellness, www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/types-figs. 

Espresso Fig Compote

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: coffee, espresso, oatmeal, yogurt

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 5 ounces espresso
• 5 ounces water
• 7 ounce package dried figs de-stemmed and quartered
• ¼ cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 20 ounces plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

• Combine espresso, water, figs, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
• Continue to simmer liquid, uncovered, reducing until more syrupy consistency.
• Serve over yogurt for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

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