Fall Fig with Baklava and Noilly Prat Ice Cream
Flavors of the Loire Valley. Chef's recipe from Didier Clement, Grand Hotel du Lion d'Or, France. Difficulty: Average. Total time: more than 2 hours; prepare 3 hours before serving.
Ingredients
| 4 | nice fresh figs |
| 50 g | pistachios |
| 1 sheet | phyllo pastry |
| — | fresh verbena leaves |
| 2 | gelatin sheets |
| 250 g | sugar (for the syrup) |
| 200 ml | water (for the syrup) |
| 250 ml | Noilly Prat (for the syrup) |
| 150 ml | orange flower water |
| 1 | vanilla bean |
| 1 | orange |
| 250 ml | milk (for the ice cream) |
| 6 | egg yolks (for the ice cream) |
| 150 g | sugar (for the ice cream) |
| 250 ml | Noilly Prat dry vermouth (for the ice cream) |
Instructions
- Poach the figs in a syrup made from the water, sugar, orange flower water and Noilly Prat.
- Add the zest of the orange and a split vanilla bean. Cook for 3 minutes at a bare simmer, then cool. Drain the figs and whisk the softened gelatin into the syrup.
- Roll half the crushed pistachios up in the sheet of phyllo.
- Divide the roll into 8 portions of baklava.
- Brown for 7 minutes in a 180 C (350 F) oven with the remaining whole pistachios.
- When you remove the baklava from the oven, dip the pieces briefly into the fig syrup and drain. Place the fig gelatin in the fridge to set.
Noilly Prat Ice Cream:
- Bring the milk to a boil.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar.
- Whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture. Return to the pan and cook gently until thickened enough to coat a spatula.
- Add the Noilly Prat. Place in an ice cream maker to freeze.
Presentation:
- Onto each plate, place some fig jelly, orange zest, baklava and a poached fig in the center.
- Cool each fig by placing a scoop of the Noilly Prat ice cream next to it.