HONEY ICE CREAM WITH ROASTED FIGS AND WALNUTS
This flavor exists because we wanted to make use of the most local honey we’ve ever gotten our hands on—the one made in Pete’s backyard! Beekeeping is nothing new to the Van Leeuwen family—they have a long history as amateur beekeepers: Ben and Pete’s dad, and their sister, both keep bees in Connecticut. So, we decided to use Pete’s wonderful honey and pair it with some ripe, roasted figs and toasted walnuts. We recommend you experiment with different kinds of honey—from a mild clover to a deep, rich buckwheat—and different types of figs (from green to black), and swap in a nut of your choosing. We recommend using raw, local honey, as it packs a bigger nutritional punch than pasteurized honey from far away. Before adding honey to the custard, be sure to let the custard cool some—heat destroys honey’s nutritional properties.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
½ cup (64 grams) chopped walnuts
8 ounces (227 grams) fresh black figs, halved
¼ cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (170 grams) mild honey
1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F; position a rack in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and toast the nuts in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 400˚F.
2. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the figs with the brown sugar and a pinch of salt and spread them on the prepared baking sheet. Slice figs in half. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the figs slump and are tender. Set aside to cool. Roughly chop the figs and set aside.
3. Pour the cream and milk into a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk in ¼ teaspoon of the salt and warm the mixture until you see steam rising from the top.
4. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set another bowl over it. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, with a kitchen towel underneath it to prevent slipping, whisk together the egg yolks until uniform. While whisking, add a splash of the hot dairy mixture to the yolks. Continue to add the dairy mixture, whisking it in bit by bit, until you’ve added about half. Add the yolk mixture to the remaining dairy mixture in the double boiler. Set the heat under the double boiler to medium and cook the custard, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and reducing the heat to medium-low as necessary, until steam begins to rise from the surface and the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Hold the spoon horizontally and run your finger through the custard. If the trail left by your finger stays separated, the custard is ready to be cooled.
6. Strain the custard into the bowl sitting over the prepared ice bath and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the custard has cooled. Stir in the honey until incorporated. Transfer the custard to a quart-size container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.
7. Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the container in which you refrigerated the custard in the freezer so you can use it to store the finished ice cream. Churn the ice cream until the texture resembles “soft serve.” Using a spatula, fold in the figs and walnuts until incorporated. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled storage container and freeze until hardened to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can serve it immediately—it will be the consistency of gelato. The ice cream will keep, frozen, for up to 7 days.
