Bocconcini di Fichi – Figs in dark chocolate

Bocconcini di Fichi by Dolci Pensieri di Calabria with a Whole Almond

Bocconcini di Fichi by Dolci Pensieri di Calabria are dried figs from Cosenza, oven-baked, filled with a whole almond, and dipped in dark chocolate. They come in a decorative wooden box containing 250 g and are refined with candied orange.

Bocconcini di Fichi literally translates to "fig bites," and that is exactly what is inside this box: filled chocolate figs from Dolci Pensieri di Calabria in Rende near Cosenza. Each dried fig is oven-baked, stuffed with a whole almond in the center, and finally coated in dark chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa. The box contains 250 g, enough for an evening with guests.

Honey-sweet fruit under dark chocolate

Beneath the crunchy shell awaits soft, honey-sweet fig flesh, complemented by the bite of a whole almond and a subtle hint of candied orange peel.

The tart dark chocolate balances the sweetness of the fruit, the almond adds structure to the soft core, and the candied orange bridges both sides. Thus, juicy, nutty, and fruity notes come together in a single bite that requires no cutlery. A bocconcino is a small dessert for the hand, made for the moment after a meal.

Placed directly from the box onto a nice plate, the bites are served in a minute. They require no cooling or preparation; all they need is a quiet moment.

Oven-baked and filled by hand

The figs for this specialty grow in the gardens around Cosenza, where the fruit has been dried in the late summer sun for generations before being processed further. You can taste this heritage, as the fruits remain soft and aromatic even when dried.

At Dolci Pensieri di Calabria, the dried fruits are first baked in the oven, which intensifies their sweetness and makes the flesh supple. Then, each fig is individually opened, filled with a whole almond, and dipped in dark chocolate. They are filled, dipped, and packed by hand, and all fig specialties from Dolci Pensieri di Calabria follow this principle: the fruit remains the star, the chocolate its frame.

A wooden box for the holidays

The bocconcini are packaged in a decorative wooden box measuring 17 by 12 centimeters and just 3 centimeters high, which can be given as a gift without the need for further wrapping.

If you like, you can place the open box directly on the table, as the light-colored wood fits perfectly between candles and evergreen branches. The figs will disappear there faster than you might think. After the last bite, the box remains in the house, for chocolates, spices, or the small things on your desk.

In Italy, filled figs are as much a part of the Christmas season as baked apples are for us, served with espresso, a glass of dessert wine, or simply enjoyed from a plate on the table. They go well with crispy chocolate cantucci from Tuscany.

Like everything made of dark chocolate, these figs are seasonal items available during the cooler half of the year; they take a break during the summer. The new harvest arrives at our shop in October, just in time for Advent and the season of small gifts. You can find more from this world in our chocolate collection. And the box remains what its contents were: a sweet thought from Calabria.