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Fig Leaf and Kefir Ice Cream

Fig Leaf and Kefir Ice Cream is a modern British recipe for a classic ice cream made with fig leaves and a custard made with milk, eggs and kefir. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Fig Leaf and Kefir Ice Cream.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

60 minutes

Total Time:

80 minutes

Additional Time:

(+over-night chilling)

Serves:

6

Rating:

Tags : Dessert RecipesMilk RecipesBritish Recipes

Kefir is a fermented milk drink similar to drinking yoghurt made by adding kefir grains, a mesophilic symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. These micro-organisms digest the lactose in milk, rendering it potable to those who are lactose intolerant. Fermentation of the lactose yields a sour, carbonated, slightly alcoholic, milk drink. The main, but not only, microorganisms in kefir grains are the bacteria Lactobacillus kefiranofasciens and the yeast Saccharomyces turicensis. The precise composition of the colony varies between batches, however. Once you source kefir grains you can easily make kefir at home with an over-night fermentation and this is much cheaper than buying kefir commercially.

In terms of fig leaves, note that it’s the white sap from the fig leaves that provide the majority of the flavour. However, too much sap will turn the infusion bitter; thus, use of fig leaves is always a balancing act. In addition, too much sap will tend to over-curdle your milk (a little curdling is nothing to worry about, it will disappear as the custard is blended). So, I always remove the stems and the base of the midrib from fig leaves prior to use.

Ingredients:

5g (1/5 oz) fig leaves, stems removed (younger leaves are better)
500ml (2 cups) whole (full cream) milk
6 egg yolks
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
300ml (1 ¼ cups) kefir
5 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

Method:

Wash the fig leaves thoroughly then roll up and shred finely with a knife.

Pour the milk into a small pan and bring just to a boil (when bubbles start appearing around the edges of the pan). At this point stir in the shredded fig leaves. Take the pan off the heat, allow to cool then refrigerate over-night.

The following day, process the milk mixture to a smooth puree then pass through a fine-meshed sieve to remove any leaf fibres.

Combine the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl then beat with a balloon whisk until thick and creamy. Pour the milk mixture into a clean saucepan and bring just to a boil. Whilst whisking constantly, add the egg yolk mixture as a slow, steady, stream, followed by the kefir. Take off the heat, allow to cool, then refrigerate until cold. If you have an ice cream maker churn the ice cream mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the ice cream into a freezer-proof box. Freeze for 2 hours then use a fork to bring the frozen edges of the ice cream mixture into the still liquid centre. This breaks up any water-based icicles, yielding a smoother, creamier, ice cream. Return to the freezer, then repeat this process about 3 more times, or until the ice cream is frozen.