Sherry Crema Catalana Ice Cream With Honeyed Figs Recipes

SHERRY CREMA CATALANA ICE CREAM WITH HONEYED FIGS

Steps:

• Bring half-and-half with lemon and orange zests and cinnamon stick just to a boil over moderate heat. Cover and let stand off heat 25 minutes, then reheat to a simmer. Discard zests and cinnamon stick.
• Whisk together yolks, sugar, and Sherry in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Transfer custard to cleaned saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat back of a wooden spoon and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F.
• Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and cover surface with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until thoroughly cold, about 3 hours. Freeze in an ice-cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.
• Bring figs, Sherry, juice, and honey, covered, to a boil in a small saucepan. Simmer, covered, just until figs are tender, about 40 minutes, then uncover and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, about 8 minutes. Cool figs in syrup.
• Serve ice cream with honeyed figs and syrup.

FIG ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Soak figs in a bowl of water until softened, 3 to 4 hours. Drain figs and chop.
• Combine chopped figs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until until sugar is dissolved and figs begin to break down, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover saucepan with a lid and refrigerate.
• Heat half-and-half in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until hot but not boiling, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt together in a bowl until smooth. Temper egg mixture by drizzling 1 to 2 tablespoons half-and-half into egg mixture, while continuously whisking egg mixture until slightly warmed. Pour egg mixture into half-and-half and return saucepan to medium-low heat; cook, whisking constantly, until custard is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Place saucepan with custard in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until chilled, about 30 minutes. Stir sour cream and vanilla extract into chilled custard. Cover saucepan and chill custard completely, at least 3 hours.
• Process custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Stir fig mixture into ice cream in the last 5 minutes of processing. Transfer fig ice cream to a container and freeze until solid.

ICE CREAM WITH SWEET SHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat sherry and honey in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until warm. Stir in raisins, figs, and currants. Cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 20 minutes. Stir in almonds.
• Divide ice cream among bowls. Pour sauce over top.