Fig and Candied Walnut Ice Cream

First, make the custard base. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer.

While the milk is heating, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium-sized heat-safe bowl.

Once the milk starts to simmer, slowly drizzle about half of the hot milk into the egg yolks while whisking constantly.

Then pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan and continue to cook it until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When you run your finger through the custard on the spoon, it should leave a clean trail. Remove from heat and let the custard cool.

Pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and pour in the cooled custard. Mix well and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.

Make the fig sauce. Place the figs, water, honey and sugar in a saucepan and cook until it forms a thick paste. Take the saucepan off the stove and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Let it cool.

Make the candied walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350 F. While the oven heats, you need to blanch the walnuts. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the walnuts and boil them for 3 minutes, then drain well.

Mix together the powdered sugar, brown sugar and salt in a shallow bowl. Roll the walnuts in the sugar mixture.

Place the walnuts on a baking sheet, put it into the heated oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the walnuts are a deep golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool. Then break the walnuts into the smaller pieces.

Churn the chilled ice cream batter in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. In the last 5 minutes of churning, add the fig sauce. In the last minute of churning, add the candied walnuts.

Scoop the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours or until firm before serving.

Ice cream base adapted from David Lebovitz, candied walnut recipe adapted from The Food Network.

Yields about 1 quart of ice cream.