This Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream is a creamy, boozy ice cream to take us from summer to fall, laced with bourbon, maple syrup and fresh figs.
Let me just say that I have been thinking about a Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream recipe since LAST year, when I came up with the idea oh, about two months too late for fresh figs. You know my obsession with the fleeting late summer fruit is real when I’m dreaming of them long after they’ve disappeared from the Farmer’s Markets or grocery produce sections.
Thank goodness for my running “recipe idea” list so I can keep track of these things, even if I have to wait a whole year to make them. I have a few more amazing fall recipe ideas up my sleeve that were incepted last year as well, and I can’t wait to share them all with you in the next couple of months!
I think this Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream is the perfect bridge from sunny, daylight-filled summer to brisker, cozier fall. As all ice creams are, this is the perfect way to cool down for the last few days of warmer weather, while the maple, bourbon and figs make it just as suitable to enjoy in front of the fireplace, served over a slice of warm apple pie, or even serve affogato-style with a hot shot of espresso. Is your mouth watering yet?
I made my first batch of Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream a few days ago and it’s already gone. We don’t mess around with ice cream in this household. Although it takes a bit longer to freeze up than most other ice creams (due to the bourbon,) once it does, it has a beautiful consistency and just the right amount of vanilla to balance out the maple and bourbon flavors. Plus, those chunks of fresh figs! I’d never tried freezing figs before, but the texture is just perfect. They’re just the right amount of chewy, and won’t give you brain freeze or break your teeth when you bite into them.
As far as the method I used for this super-delicious, party-in-my-mouth Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream, it’s actually an even easier version of the technique I used for this Fresh Mint Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. The best part? No overnight steeping required! So you can start this ice cream and finish it in the same day (although I dare say that it just gets better the next day, with more time to set up in the freezer.)
We first make our creamy base, with whole milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, corn syrup and vanilla and stir it into creamy mascarpone before letting it cool down in the refrigerator for a hot second (well, realistically an hour or so.)
Once the mixture is cooled, we take it out and throw it into our trusty ice cream maker (seriously, if you’re in the market for a SUPER easy-to-use ice cream maker, you’ve just GOT to get this one…I love it!), add the maple, bourbon and chopped fresh figs, and freeze according to your maker’s instructions. I love mine because the ice creams are basically frozen in under an hour. This particular recipe took a bit longer (as I mentioned –> bourbon!) and once I did eventually remove it I still put it in the freezer for a few hours before I felt it was ready to be suitable enjoyed as ice cream.
But, then….Ohhhhh but, then…I took a big spoonful and brought it to my lips, and in that moment I knew all was right with the world and that this Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream was so worth waiting a whole year for. The creaminess, the booziness, the maple-ness, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Oh, except for you to try this recipe so we can all be Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream-lovers together!
Maple Bourbon Fig Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons whole milk divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces mascarpone
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 6 fresh figs chopped
Instructions
- Combine two tablespoons whole milk and cornstarch. Stir vigorously with a fork to make a slurry. Set aside.
- Place mascarpone and salt in a large, glass bowl (preferably with a lid.) Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and let boil gently for about 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Place back on heat and bring to a boil again, stirring fairly consistently for about one minute, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Pour cream mixture into mascarpone mixture. Let cool slightly and then place in refrigerator for an hour or two, or until completely cool (this is when you’ll want to use the lid for the bowl.)
- Remove mixture from refrigerator and add to ice cream maker, adding maple syrup, bourbon and chopped figs. Freeze according to the ice cream maker’s directions. My ice cream maker took about an hour for this particular recipe.
- Transfer ice cream to a freezer-proof container (I just used the same bowl I chilled the cream mixture in) and freeze for at least a few more hours, up to two days. Enjoy within a week.
Notes
- Make sure you cool down the milk and cream mixture before putting it in the ice cream maker.
- This ice cream may take longer to freeze than most because of the bourbon.
Nutrition
Might I add that this would also be quite suitable for a milkshake??
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looking for the ice cream recipe and land here. Love the pictures. i am just curious to try this. thanks.
Thank you and, yes, you should definitely give this recipe a shot! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!