Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Caramelized Spiced Figs

There were so many delicious end-of-summer fruits available at the farmer’s market this past weekend, but the figs stood out the most. While strolling home I thought to myself “ooh… caramelized figs…what goes with figs…OOH goat cheese. but it’s too hot to turn on the oven or cook anything… ooh maybe ice cream. goat cheese ice cream… OOH… yassss.” </ my entire thought process>

So after googling a few recipes I decided to go with a custard-based ice cream, my FIRST custard-based ice cream, actually. *pats self on back* Not nearly as intimidating as it seems.

My favorite taste tester @savfat approves this deliciousness… and I quote:

“This shit right here…*points to ice cream*” – @savfat

Let’s get this ice cream party started.

Today’s cast: brandy, eggs, sugar, cream, sea salt, honey, goat cheese, star anise, peppercorns, green cardamom, figs, lime

Look how gorge these figs are! I decided on star anise, cardamom and peppercorns because… well, they sounded good. You could try a cinnamon stick or any other “warm” spice your gorgeous little heart desires.

Fig, star anise, peppercorns and green cardamom pods. Once you have spices like this in your arsenal, it’s fun to add them to different dishes. I add these same 3 spices to my rice cooker when I’m making rice. It smells so good!

A note about honey: try to find really good local honey. Your local farmers market probably has some. Try NOT to use the stuff that comes out of a plastic bear.

Throw all the ingredients for the caramelized figs into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simma simma for 30 minutes, until it resembles a jam. And totes dip your spoon in and taste this. It’s so good.

Haaaay figs! Just all jammy and delicious.

I wanted to motorboat this bowl of figgy deliciousness, but I stopped myself. Let her cool down completely and then refrigerate.

I wanted to motorboat this bowl of figgy deliciousness, but I stopped myself. Pick out the spices, let her cool down completely and then refrigerate.

Time to make the custard base!

Combine the egg yolks and sugar. After your cream and milk has warmed through thoroughly, add it to your yolk and sugar mixture, whisking to ensure the yolks don’t cook and the cream is well incorporated. This is called “tempering” the eggs. You want to combine the hot cream and the yolks, one ladle-full at a time without ending up with scrambled eggs. Because that would be gross.

Throw your tempered yolk + sugar + cream + milk mixture back into the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly. The mixture will get thicker.

Combine the mixture with your room temp goat cheese and liquor of choice. I used vodka. A note on why to include liquor in your ice creams: it helps it not freeze into a rock. You notice how that bottle of vodka in your freezer ( is that just me? you’re lying ) never actually freezes? The texture will be a little creamier and way easier to scoop. Or you can skip it. But do not.

Use your ice cream maker based on the manufacturer’s instructions. It took about 22 minutes for mine to get to the right stage.

boop!

Layer ice cream + figs + ice cream + figs into an air-tight container. Swirl ’em around a bit too.

gahhhhh *drools*

Tada! Goat cheese ice cream with caramelized spiced figs. all from my little imagination and my impossibly tiny kitchen!

It’s so pretty and delicious.

adapted from brooklyn supper
makes a little over 1 quart in 45 minutes

Ingredients

for the ice cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces goat cheese chevre, room temperature
2 tablespoons brandy/vodka/bourbon/liquor of your choice (*optional, but alcohol helps with the ice cream not freeze too hard)

for the caramelized figs

1 basket of figs, quartered and stemmed
1/4 cup honey (the good stuff, not the stuff that comes in a plastic bear container)
pinch of salt
a good squeeze of half a lemon or lime
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoon of liquor (I used brandy)
8 whole peppercorns
3 green cardamom pods, cracked
2 whole star anise

Directions

for the ice cream

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the sugar into the egg yolks.

Heat the cream, milk, and sea salt over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Just as the mixture starts to become quite steamy and small bubbles form on the sides, remove from the heat. Whisk a ladleful of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture. Add a ladle-full at a time, whisking until incorporated. We’re tempering the egg yolks – bringing up the temperature of the yolks without cooking them. Pour the tempered egg and cream mixture back into the pot and turn heat to low. Cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will be quite thick.

Remove from heat and add the chevre and your liquor of choice (I used vodka), whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set that bowl over an ice bath in the fridge to cool the mixture down. Chill for three hours.

Process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

for the caramelized figs

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook until the mixture is like jam, around 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely. Pick out the spices, then cover and refrigerate.

put it all together

After ice cream has finished… ice creaming (yes, I said ice creaming), alternate layers of goat cheese and caramelized figs in your air-tight container of choice. Let freeze for at least 2 hours (or as long as you can stand it).