Fig and Apple Ice Cream

So there I was, with a bunch of fresh figs to use.  What to do, what to do? I have a bread recipe that I love that is fig, applesauce and almonds and I really like the combination. I don't love nuts in my ice cream however, so that's why there aren't any almonds in this recipe.  This is a fantastic use for fresh figs.  I know I've mentioned before that fresh figs and dried figs have entirely different tastes.  Fresh figs are more of a mild flavor and the apple really becomes the prominent flavor in the ice cream.  The area's of plain vanilla ice cream just add to the overall flavor.

Fruity, creamy, slight hint of cinnamon but not overly sweet.  I'm a fan for sure.  Even though fresh figs aren't as easy to find as dried, I would definitely go out of my way to find some for this recipe, which does limit it to a seasonal recipe but that's OK with me.  Plus, fresh figs give this awesome pink color! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Fig and Apple Ice Cream
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker's Apple Pie Ice Cream

Apple

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and petite diced
• about 18-20 small fresh figs, stem removed and petite diced
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Custard

Ingredients

• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and brown sugar.  Melt and combine together, then add the apples, figs and cinnamon.  Cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Stirring occasionally over medium low heat. When thick, remove from the heat and put into a bowl, cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until ready to use. 
2. Mix the egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl, set aside. 
3. In a medium sized saucepan, add the cream, milk and salt.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat then lower the heat to a simmer and ladle some cream into the egg yolks and whisk together.  Add another ladle of cream into the egg yolks and whisk. 
4. Pour the egg yolk/cream mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot cream.  Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (or about 170º to 175º)
5. Put a fine mesh sieve over a medium sized bowl and pour the cream mixture through the sieve.
6. Put the bowl into an ice bath and let cool to room temperature.  When cool, cover and put into the refrigerator overnight. 
7. When ready to process into ice cream, pour the cream mixture into the ice cream maker and process based on the manufacturers instruction.  
8. Pull the apple and fig mixture out of the refrigerator and add the vanilla, stir. Set aside. 
9. When the ice cream has turned into a soft ice cream consistency, pour into a freezer proof container and slowly mix in the fig and apple mixture without mixing it in completely.  You want there to be swirls of flavor but you also want sections of just plain vanilla ice cream.  
10. Freeze until ready to serve, remove from the freezer about 5-10 minutes prior to serving so it can soften a little.