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.