Fiery and sophisticated, white figs poached in wine spiced with cinnamon and pepper then glazed in butter and served with almond ice cream is a seductively sweet and luscious dessert.View some video recipes online to see actual recipe. The rich flavor and intense texture of white figs is enhanced with spicy Bandol wine creating an extraordinary dish for a rare and special occasion.

Fresh figs are recommended for making this recipe. Try to get the largest figs you can find as they hold their shape best when poached. Be careful not to overcook, see the proper way to do it through video for cooking recipes, the figs as they can become too soft and mushy. Simmering them in the spicy wine for five minutes should be enough. Use a flat-bottomed saucepan when poaching the figs.

Commonly known as Calimyrna Fig, the white fig is often used as a culinary accent. They have thin skins and soft and juicy fleshjuicy flesh and are great eaten raw. In this recipe, they are poached in Bandol wine. Bandol wine is one of the best red wines in Provence and is produced in one of the oldest vineyards in France. Its full body, rich flavor, and dark color make it a perfect match for the intense taste of the figs. Black fruit, cinnamon, vanilla and leather are some of the flavors associated with the Bandol wine, and thus the added cinnamon spice in this recipe enhances the natural flavor of the wine.

To make almond ice cream, you need to make a custard base known as English cream or crème anglaise. You also need an ice cream maker to make it super smooth and creamy. Crème anglaise is used over and over in many French desserts and perfecting it can be very useful. Basically, the milk is brought to a boil and the egg yolks and sugar are mixed until smooth. When the milk is boiling, the egg mixture is stirred in until a custard consistency is obtained.

6
20 MIN
20 MIN
Recommended WineMaury
Ingredients

12 figs For the spicy wine:

1 bottle of Bandol wine

1 cup cane sugar

12 black pepper grains

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

For the almond ice cream:

3.5 oz. (7 tablespoons) sweet almonds from Provence

0.35 oz. (about 2 teaspoons) bitter almonds

3 cups milk

1 cup cream

12 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

mint leaves

pepper
Preparation Instructions
1

Soak the sweet almonds and grated bitter almonds in the milk and cream for 30 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the 12 egg yolks and sugar until smooth.

2

Simmer the almond milk and stir in the eggs to obtain a custard consistency. Cool down and put the whole into an ice cream freezer. If you like a slight vanilla flavor, add 1 vanilla pod to the almond milk.

3

Mix the spicy wine ingredients and poach the figs in it for about 5 minutes at 194 degrees F. Let the fruit rest in the cooking juice for about 30 minutes. Drain, then dry with absorbing paper.

4

In a Teflon pan, roast figs in butter, browning them to obtain a light caramelization.

5

Place 2 roasted figs (per person) on a serving dish. Add 2 scoops of almond ice cream and some spicy wine. Garnish with a mint leaf.