Fresh Fig Gelato Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the wine, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring the liquid to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Add the figs and simmer just until figs are heated through. Let cool to warm. Arrange scoops of gelato in two stemmed glasses and top with the figs and some of the poaching liquid. Garnish with mint if desired.

Steps:

• Place figs, orange juice, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cinnamon in a small pan and cook over low heat until the figs have softened, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of the skin. Mash until the mixture is almost pureed but still has some texture. Set aside until it reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.
• In the meantime, place milk, cream and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar in a small pan and cook over low heat, whisking from time to time, until it is warm, about 175 degrees.
• Place egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small metal bowl and whisk until completely mixed. Add 1/4 of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, whisking all the while. Continue adding milk to the eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have added about 1 1/2 cups.
• Slowly, whisking all the while, return the now milk-and-egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the pan and continue cooking until it just begins to thicken or reaches about 185 degrees. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour through a medium fine strainer into a metal bowl, discard the solids and set aside until it reaches room temperature.
• Add the cooled fig mixture. Cover and refrigerate until it reaches 40 degrees, about 3 hours. Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, heat milk to 175°; stir in sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Add lemon zest. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. , Remove immediately from heat; stir in lemon juice and cream. Place in a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; refrigerate several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. (Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm. Repeat with remaining mixture.,