A taste of the coming fig season

Ice cream combines fig preserves with goat cheese for creamy dessert

While figs aren’t quite in season, the trees in my neighborhood are starting to reveal little balloons of fruit hanging off their branches. The two baby fig trees I planted a few months ago in pots sit on my balcony, one of which carries a single fig that I check daily. As time progresses, the promise of juicy sweetness is ensured.

Those of you who are regular readers of my column are aware of my love of figs (UpsideDown Fig Cake), and while fresh ripe figs can be tricky to find right now, there are still ways to enjoy them frozen, dried and in preserves. I often bake with frozen figs (remember to warm them to room temperature first). Chopped dried figs are great in granola; you can soak the fruit in a bit of figflavored liqueur and use it in pound cake. Fig preserves are marvelous mixed into this ice cream, which brings in that characteristic fig texture and flavor. There are many ways to make ice cream. This eggless recipe is based on a technique I learned from Jeni Britton Bauer’s book “Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home” (Artisan Books). She uses soft cheese that inhibits the formation of ice crystals and produces a creamy texture. Additionally, cornstarch helps to thicken the liquid and, along with sugar and fat, creates a softer texture.

Rosemary, goat cheese and figs are a classic combination. To bring their flavors into this ice cream, a few things have to happen. First the rosemary is bruised to help make it easier for the essential oils to infuse the dairy ingredients during heating. Goat cheese adds its unique flavor but also helps with the ice cream base. The fig preserves are layered with the ice cream base to produce a swirllike pattern when the ice cream is scooped: All my favorite ingredients in one delightful frozen scoop of sweetness.

Nik Sharma’s first solo cookbook is “Season” (Chronicle Books). Twitter: abrowntable Instagram: abrowntable Email: food@sfchronicle.com

Nik Sharma This easy ice cream gets its creamy texture from goat cheese, which complements the flavors of the fig preserves and bruised rosemary leaves.