Fresh Fig Gelato with Orange and Cinnamon

Recently, I attended a promotional event at the independent Harvard Book Store for Sally Sampson's "Ice Cream: 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Frozen Treats." Sampson's cookbook offers up recipes for every week of the year. Although she features the usual suspects--chocolate, vanilla, and whatnot--her text is predominantly full of off-the-beaten-path flavors. For example: Fresh Peach and Marcona Almond Gelato, Basil Gelato, Balsamic and Black Pepper Gelato, Saffron Ice Cream, and Rhubarberry Ice Cream with Crisp Topping.

Gus Rancatore, the founder of Toscanini's and a collaborator on the book, was on hand to distribute free samples of several of his flavors. Toscanini's is a premium ice cream company based out of the Boston area. I sampled the Belgian Chocolate flavor!

Sadly, I don't own an ice cream machine, so I'm unable to test out any of the recipes. However, this is probably for the best: if I had the ability to churn out ice cream at a moment's whim, I'd weigh an additional 15 pounds. The following is an unusual recipe from Sampson's book:

FRESH FIG GELATO WITH ORANGE AND CINNAMON

makes 1 1/2 to 2 pints

1 lb fresh figs, chopped
1/4 c fresh orange juice
1 tbs plus 1/2 c light brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
Pinch kosher salt

Place figs, orange juice, 1 tbs brown sugar and cinnamon in a small pan and cook over low heat until the figs have softened, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of the skin. Mash until the mixture is almost pureed but still has some texture. Set aside until it reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

In the meantime, place milk, cream and 1/4 c of the brown sugar in a small pan and cook over low heat, whisking from time to time, until it is warm, about 175 degrees.

Place egg yolks, 1/4 c of the brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small metal bowl and whisk until completely mixed. Add 1/4 of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, whisking all the while. Continue adding milk to the eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have added about 1 1/2 c.

Slowly, whisking all the while, return the now milk-and-egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the pan and continue cooking until it just begins to thicken or reaches about 185 degrees. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour through a medium fine strainer into a metal bowl, discard the solids and set aside until it reaches room temperature.

Add the cooled fig mixture. Cover and refrigerate until it reaches 40 degrees, about 3 hours. Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions.