Although we can get our hands on dried varieties all year round, it’s hard to top the taste and texture of fresh figs. In season in the UK from August to October, the perfect fig will be plump and purple – unripe ones will be green, while overripe ones will feel too soft. Tracking down the right batch is one thing, but deciding what to do with them is another – figs are one of the most versatile fruits going, as comfortably at home in savoury dishes as they are in desserts, meaning there's no shortage of options. With such vivid flavour, sometimes keeping it simple is best; grill them with a drizzle of honey, pair them with goat’s cheese, turn them into a spiced jam or dot them on a carefully curated cheeseboard.

But figs can be fried, roasted, poached and baked, and their bold sweetness stands up to similarly big flavours – pair them with parma ham and Stilton on a pizza, or confit them to serve with five spice and fennel-spiked duck. Take it a step further by experimenting with fig leaf, an ingredient which is rarely used in home kitchens but is a favourite among chefs. Below, we’ve put the spotlight on a handful of beautiful fig desserts that will leave everyone impressed. Some are simple, while others are the preserve of the most ambitious home cooks – but all are show-stoppers.

We’ll kick off with a tricky one – this elegant fig leaf recipe from Ollie Dabbous will test even the most accomplished of home cooks, requiring crystallised fig leaves, fig leaf ice cream, fig compôte and fig leaf infusion (and roasted figs for good measure). It'll need time and patience, but if you're up for a challenge, it’ll certainly be a dish you won't forget.

This beautiful éclair from Sarah Frankland is filled with a lightly-sweetened fig crémeux and garnished with blackcurrant gel, fresh figs, and gold leaf. Despite its intricate appearance, it’s more straightforward than it looks, taking two and a half hours – though you will need to chill the ganache overnight.

Another one for experimental home cooks, this time from Andrew Gravett, who brings together the flavours of Dulcey chocolate, figs and blackcurrants in the form of cream, compôte, coulis and sorbet. Almond sablé biscuits provide a crunchy textural contrast in this sophisticated dish, which looks as good as it tastes.

Mark Dodson poaches figs in a syrup spiked with green cardamom pods and star anise, before combining them with a simple shortbread, raspberry coulis and basil-flavoured buttermilk pudding. He pricks the figs with a pin before poaching to make sure they take on as much flavour as possible.

With a much more rustic aesthetic, this gorgeous Tom Aikens dessert is brought to life by the vivid colours of figs. Tom celebrates the ever-brilliant combination of figs and pastry, serving his tart with a cinnamon ice cream. If you’re whipping this up for a dinner party, make the ice cream and crème pâtissière in advance. 

This intricate dessert from Ruth Hansom, via her former pastry chef at The Princess of Shoreditch Emily Collins, will put you through your pastry paces. It has several elements – including a fig insert, crystallised fig leaves, fig leaf mousse and figs to garnish – but most of them can be prepared in advance. Come up with a plan of action to save yourself stress on the day. 

Have a hankering for something savoury? Give Adam Gray’s beetroot and fig filo pastry tartlets with blue cheese a spin.