Cinnamon ice-cream with red wine-poached figs

 

Ingredients (13)

• 6 egg yolks
• 120g caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 300ml milk
• 300ml thin cream
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 300ml thickened cream

• Red wine-poached figs

• 300ml good-quality red wine
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• 250g dessert figs*
• Method

  • Step 1
    Place yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk until pale and thick. Place the milk, thin cream, cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon in a saucepan and heat to scalding point. Carefully pour over the egg mixture, whisking, then return mixture to saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until thickened. Do not boil. Remove and pour into a bowl and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool, then refrigerate until completely cold.
  • Step 2
    Whip the thickened cream. Strain the refrigerated mixture, then fold the whipped cream into the refrigerated mixture. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze until frozen at the edges. Remove from freezer and beat with an electric beater. Pour back into container and re-freeze. Repeat 2 or 3 times. (Alternatively use an ice-cream machine following manufacturer's directions.)
  • Step 3
    While the ice-cream is freezing, prepare the figs. Place wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a saucepan over low heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Add the figs and poach gently for 10 minutes. Remove the figs and allow the liquid to cook for a further 5-6 minutes until syrupy. Return the figs to the syrup and allow to cool completely. Discard the cloves.
  • Step 4
    To serve, scoop ice-cream into serving bowls or cups with figs and drizzle with syrup. Garnish with cinnamon sticks if desired.