Drunken Chocolate Figs

Dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled with a made-in-minutes port syrup, fiber-rich fresh figs instantly transform into a simple-meets-sophisticated finale to summer supper.

1 cup ruby port wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
12 fresh ripe green or black figs

1. In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, heat port, sugar and cinnamon stick to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium and cook 13 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent syrup from boiling over (syrup will reduce by half). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature (syrup will thicken as it cools).

2. Meanwhile, line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in microwave-safe small bowl or cup. Heat, covered with waxed paper, in microwave on High 1 minute or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until smooth.

3. With fingers, hold 1 fig and dip into melted chocolate, leaving top half uncovered. Shake off excess chocolate. Place chocolate-covered fig on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining figs and chocolate.

4. Place chocolate-covered figs in refrigerator 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. Figs will keep at room temperature up to 2 hours. If not serving right away, refrigerate figs up to 12 hours. To serve, arrange figs on 4 dessert plates and drizzle with port syrup. Serves 4.

¥ Each serving: About 350 calories, 8g total fat (5g saturated), 8mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium, 73g total carbohydrate, 7g dietary fiber, 3g protein.