Camembert au figues et noisettes (camembert cheese with figs and hazelnuts filling)

Ingredients:

• 1 camembert (250 gram, 10 cm diameter = ½ pound, 10 inch diameter); kept in refrigerator
• 125 gram mascarpone (a standard 250 gram tub is enough for two standard camemberts)
• 50-75 gram figs (do not use the dried ones that were harvested in biblical times; but they shouldn't be too moist either)
• 50-75 gram shelled hazelnuts
• the mascarpone/fig/nut filling is best made a day or two ahead

Instructions:

• remove camembert from the fridge
• cut (cold) camembert at half height into two round slices; put the top half aside
• cut the hazelnuts into pieces (just in half if small nuts)
• remove the stem from the figs and cut into pieces (no bigger than 1 cm = 3/8 inch)
• put the mascarpone in a bowl and blend in the nuts and figs
• put the mascarpone mix in the middle of the bottom half of the cheese
• work the mascarpone mix across the cheese, to get even thickness and a straight edge; the filling should make a layer of about 2 cm (¾ inch)
• put the other half of the cheese back on top of the mascarpone, and clean up the edge of the filling
• decorate the top of the cheese with a small fig (stem removed, butterflied) or several hazelnut halves
• serve at room temperature

[Frank Dörenberg]