Summer is in full swing, mezze styled alfresco dining mostly for two. In 30° heat beneath our rose arbour being currently vogue. Its dappled shade doubles as my out door study. The tea boy arrives with a chilled glass of pink to chink and chat. Time to clock off for the day as a couple of friends were on their way over with supper, I became pudding monitor.
Shh… they stayed over so it was ice cream for breakfast too!
The quiet atmosphere, warmth of the sun and a gentile breeze brought much solace, nattering, and joy. Whilst duly permitted to rip off our masks the untimely invasion of trippers locally known as Grockles in Devon, Emmets (ants) when they get to Cornwall. We are advised that an unprecedented summer’ on the UK’s roads with 16m staycations planned. We remain and recoil further into our quiet patches of privacy.
A potted fig tree that had basked on the terrace for a couple of years, was outgrowing its terracotta pot hence now resides in the earth next to the arbour. After being planted out she initially looked, abandoned, bedraggled, some what stranded and wan. Given a little peace, sun and solitude her roots now firmly under the table.
Her subtle fragrance, gently sweet, reminiscent of warm sunny holidays, it occurred that I haven’t cooked with fragrant fig leaves for years. That’s with not in (as in wearing). In fact she’ll have to get a wiggle on to produce enough leaves to cover my carcass! I digress by way of a change.
Infusion normally steeped in a milk, fast track… infused with the aid of a microwave. Zap on low, in half and half sugar to water solution to make a small amount of wonderfully fragranced stock syrup roughly 3-4 small leaves for 2 minutes and then left to cool. Job done.
As ever, use up time! 250g ish ricotta, 250g ish of mascarpone, 500ml whipping cream, a can of condensed milk. couple of tablespoons of the infused syrup and gollop of pure vanilla essence.
Whip, whizz, set as desired. Couple of take away tubs from the kids and a cake tin (sprayed with coconut oil) seemed like a pre portioned plan.
To brûlée the figs simply cut them in half, face plant them into demerara sugar and blow torch or grill to suit. Suggest: should be an absolute must on your to do list.
On the subject of fig leaves… a few days earlier I’d received a missive from a High Court Judge chum, as charming as he is well to do. His rye, dry humour unwavering. During a quiet moment of reflection at their Sunday Church service, a young, sparky four year old member of the family, (with no off button) regaled the congregation with “Gods not very clever. If he’d have just let Adam and Eve take off their fig leaves, ‘they’ could have had a baby, ‘they’ could have called ‘him’ Jesus and ‘we’ wouldn’t have to do this stuff every weekend!”
Serve with a glass of Pedro Ximenez – ’tis a sunny holiday on a plate.
Toot toot x
Love the sound of this
Wow! I’ve never cooked with fig leaves. I’m going to give this a try. I love the figs from my tree.
i NEED to get my hands on some figs.
I know they are hard to come by where I am, Bernadette!
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This is beautiful! Fresh figs are amazing.
Beautiful to look at and beautifully written. YUM
I have a mission fig tree at home. Those are some of the best figs for this dessert.
I happen to have a mission fig tree at home. They are one of the best figs for this dessert.
First giggle of the day came from your ‘no off button’ church boy. I am in love with your luscious figs, and educated by your use of fig leaves. Thanks!
This fig leafs ice cream with fresh style brulee looks delicious. Nice dish presentation. Is it heard to make? What can you use if you do not have a torch. Good job in making this dessert,
Thank you so much for the recipe. This ice cream looks divine
You had me at fig. I lived in South Australia for 6 years and visited the Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers’ Market weekly. In summer, the fig farmer couldn’t harvest them fast enough and I couldn’t buy enough of them. So delicious.
Yum
This is beautiful 🤩 I just found figs in our local market and made a fig-mascarpone tart and some sugar glazed figs with cinnamon cream. So delicious!!
If I can get figs and fig leaves here in New Zealand I will try this. Looks and sounds wonderful.
Exotic!
gorgeous
This looks incredible. I can’t wait to get my hands on some figs.
I want to try this soon. Thank you for such an inspiring, tempting treat!
Unique!!! And ofcourse looks fantastic