Fig Leaf Ice Cream

Fig leaves are an extraordinary and often overlooked ingredient, offering the unique flavours of coconut, fresh grass, and, of course, a subtle hint of fig.

Fig Leaf-Infused Milk

Begin by thoroughly washing the fresh fig leaves and patting them dry.
In a high-speed blender or Thermomix, combine the milk, fig leaves, native thyme, and fresh coriander seeds. Blend the mixture on high speed for 45-60 seconds or until the ingredients are well combined and the milk takes on a green hue. Strain the infused milk through a fine-mesh nylon sieve into a bowl over an ice bed. Press gently on the solids to extract as much of the milk as possible. It's best to use the fig leaf-infused milk immediately; if you need to store it for later use, Carefully transfer the infused milk into an airtight container or vacuum-pack the milk. Store the container in the refrigerator or on ice.

Fig Reduction

Begin by washing the figs thoroughly, removing any stems, and slicing them to ensure they blend smoothly. In a high-speed blender, combine the figs and water. Blend on high speed for 45-60 seconds or until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Pour the blended fig mixture into shallow containers, leaving enough room for expansion during freezing.

Place the containers in the freezer and allow the mixture to freeze completely. Once the fig mixture is frozen solid, carefully remove the solid blocks from their containers. Place the frozen blocks in moist cheesecloth in a shallow, perforated gastro tray. Position this tray over a deep gastro tray to catch any drippings. Cover the setup and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

During this time, the fig mixture will thaw and release liquid. Avoid squeezing or wringing out the thawed mass, as this could introduce cloudy impurities into the mixture. After thawing, transfer the remaining liquid and fig mass to shallow containers suitable for your dehydrator. Set your dehydrator to 60°C reduce the mixture to 60° brix.