I almost let this summer’s garden fig harvest end without trying this ice cream. If you like ice cream…if you like fresh figs…you have to try this ice cream! Even if you’ve never tasted a fresh fig, but you like ice cream…you have to try this ice cream! This ice cream is what I’ve been up to with the last of my edible garden’s figs.
Fig Ice Cream
Between this Black Mission Fig Ice Cream and the Olive Oil Gelato featured a couple of weeks ago, a gourmand would be armed with some elegant and deliciously novel ice cream flavors to serve either as a treat for oneself or at their next dinner party.
Fig Ice Cream
The true beauty and brillance of this method is the fig compote you’ll cook to a thickened jam consistency. When it’s cooking, it smells absolutely delicious and wonderful. The cinnamony-sugar and fig fragrance will remind you of holiday baking…bubbling with a pound of ripe and fresh black mission figs, honey, lemon juice, sugar, and a big fragrant cinnamon stick. The fig sauce/compote can be made a day ahead because you’re going to layer it between ice cream that you’ve just churned to perfection.
I will definitely revisit this ice cream, as it has inspired me into a few more ideas for it. That fig compote is a must, even making it solo. It’s something to make with your abundant harvest of fresh figs or a treasure lot that you’ve acquired in some way. Drizzle the sauce warm over yogurt, custards and use in panna cotta. I’m even thinking of its versatility to incorporate in other desserts. Yes (can you tell how enamoured I am about this fig sauce?!), the fig compote is downright marketable! How long to wait until next fig season?
Fig Ice Cream
I’ve used low-fat/2% milk as part of the ice cream base. The original recipe calls for 1.5 cups of cream, making it luscious and rich. It’s fantastic that way, but next time around I would lighten the load a tad by cutting back on the cream by maybe 1/2 and substituting milk instead (I’ll have to test it and see what that does to the consistency). As for the fig compote, if I have more than a pound of figs to spare, I would just go ahead and double the batch and reserve half for other desserts, layering or even drizzle some warmed compote over the ice cream.
Fig Ice Cream Scoop
Some photography fun with my lens and lighting with these melty fig ice cream scoops!
Fig Ice Cream Scoop
You can see the little fig specks in this shot of the melty ice cream scoop. Delish!!
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print[save_recipe]- 1 pound ripe black mission figs, stemmed and quartered
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large stick cinnamon
- 1/3 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup low-fat/2% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a heavy saucepan, bring figs, honey, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the figs break down and the mixture thickens like jam, about 35-50 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely (can be done a day ahead).
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until it’s pale yellow, about 3-5 minutes. Add salt, cream, milk and vanilla and beat until combined. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to its manufacturer’s instructions.
- After the ice cream has completed churning, alternate layers of the ice cream and fig compote in a freezer-safe container. Freeze at least 6 hours before serving. © Images & content: Cristina A-Moore for TeenieCakes.com.
- To lighten the ice cream, I’ve used low-fat milk. Additionally, next time I would cut the amount of heavy cream and substitute in for low-fat milk.
- Use the largest cinnamon stick you have or use two if your cinnamon sticks are not of good size. It really adds to the fig compote when cooking.
- The fig compote is really excellent. Set aside 1/4 cup to drizzle on the top of the ice cream OR double the recipe to have extra compote.
Liz says
What a gorgeous bowl of ice cream! And that fig compote sounds incredible…no wonder this ice cream is a winner!
Cristina says
Thanks so much Liz. It’s that fig compote – it’s downright marketable! 😉
Liren Baker says
This is incredibly gorgeous, Cristina! You are inspiring me to grow a fig tree (one day!) – I must whip this up before the figs say goodbye!
Cristina says
You won’t regret having your own Fig tree(s), Liren. The only challenge is shoo’ing and keeping the birds away from the precious figs! 🙂
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
I never had fig ice cream. Must be so special to have home grown figs and make homemade ice cream out of them! What a lovely dessert. I love figs in baked desserts, but never thought of figs in ice cream! <3
Cristina says
It’s a new fav and so looking forward to our fig seasons to whip up at least a batch (or two) of this ice cream. 😉 Thanks, Nami!! -xo
ATasteOfMadness says
The saddest moment about moving for me was leaving behind my ice cream maker. Because I think if I still had it, I would be making this ice cream right now.
Cristina says
Hello and thank you Cathleen. You’ve got to have that ice cream maker shipped to you or plan for another one in your kitchen repetoire! First thing to do when you get that machine back…make this ice cream with fresh figs! 🙂
ray says
With another round of heat wave we are having, this beautiful ice cream is just perfect. You always capture the beauty of food, Cristina. Beautiful shot! I hope you are having an enjoyable weekend my friend. 🙂
Cristina says
You’re so right, Ray! Yes, I should’ve mentioned about the timing with this heat-wave. Actually, it wasn’t as bad as the news was scarying us into believing these days. Thanks, Ray and a lovely week ahead to you as well. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love figs, but never thought of turning them into ice cream. It looks really inviting, Cristina.
Cristina says
Thank you, Angie – yes, what a concept with the figs. It’s a must try if you like figs!
Jess says
I would never even have thought of fig ice cream and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it as a flavor option. Brilliant!
Cristina says
I know, right? It is brill and the compote is absolutely marketable! Thanks, Jess!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Beautiful ice cream, I love the ribbon of compote!
Cristina says
I like how you’ve described it as “ribbon of compote”….will need to use that! Thanks Laura! 🙂