Fresh Fig Ice Cream Recipe

By
David Lebovitz
David Lebovitz
David Lebovitz is a recipe developer, baker, nine-time cookbook author, and longtime blogger.
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Updated April 15, 2020
20110709-lebovitz-fig.jpg
Photo: Lara Hata © 2007

It's hard to think of a way to improve upon the sweet, nectarlike flavor of fresh figs—except, perhaps, to churn them into ice cream. These dark, soft fruits, the riper the better, are cooked down with lemon zest and juice (and a bit of sugar) before they're blended with cream and chilled.

Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz, copyright © 2007. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House.

Recipe Details

Fresh Fig Ice Cream Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins
Chilling Time 4 hrs
Total 4 hrs 40 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds (1kg) fresh figs (about 20)

  • 1/2 cup (125ml) water

  • 1 lemon, preferably unsprayed

  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar

  • 1 cup (250ml) heavy cream

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions

  1. Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in a medium, nonreactive saucepan with the water, and zest the lemon directly into the saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the figs are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

  2. Remove the lid, add the sugar, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the figs are a jamlike consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, purée the fig paste in a blender or food processor with the cream and lemon juice. Taste, then add more lemon juice if desired.

  3. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Special equipment

Ice cream maker

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361Calories
16gFat
58gCarbs
2gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g20%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 14mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 58g21%
Dietary Fiber 5g16%
Total Sugars 52g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 20mg99%
Calcium 85mg7%
Iron 1mg4%
Potassium 434mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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