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:

• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil the syrup until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Mix the puree with the cool syrup, then stir in the "neutral" stabilizing powder, whisking for 5 minutes. (The stabilizing powder prevents ice crystals from forming and helps ensure a smooth textured gelato.) Chill the gelato base thoroughly then process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spoon the gelato into containers and freeze until ready to serve.

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.