Olive Ice Cream

Summer is the perfect time to sample the flavours of the Mediterranean, fruits, vegetables, cheese, pastas, oils, the list goes on. If you're lucky enough to have holidayed there this summer you may have also tried some local ice cream flavours and other sweet treats.
Fragata have developed an indulgent and unusual ice cream recipe that combines some of these summery flavours in a way you've never had before, with surprising results. Olive and Fig ice cream may sound a bit adventurous but it is in fact something completely different and delicious and a welcome change from vanilla and neapolitan. The mellow flavours of the black olives teamed with sugar, cream, vanilla and sweet figs results in a rich caramel flavour and a delicate ice cream. Go on give it a go!

Ingredients

2 cups of black pitted Fragata olives finely chopped
1/2 cup of dried figs
1/2 an orange
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup olive oil

Method...

- Place the olives in a bowl with enough water to just cover them, Leave for a couple of hours then drain the water
- Sweeten the olives by placing a pan on a medium heat with 1 1/2 cups of water, juice of 1/2 an orange and 3/4 cup
of sugar
- Bring to the boil over a medium heat while stirring then simmer for 6 minutes
- Take the pan off the heat and allow the olives to cool
- Strain and drain the olives then chop finely
- Rehydrate the figs by placing them in enough hot water just to cover them in a bowl
- Chop the figs when softened
- For the ice cream, add milk and vanilla extract to a pan and bring to a medium heat
- In another bowl, add egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar and whisk until creamed
- Use a ladle to slowly add the heated milk into the creamed eggs and sugar, whilst continuously  whisking
- Once all the milk has been added to the egg/sugar mixture, pour back into the pot and stir the ice cream base with a wooden spoon over a medium heat until thickened
- Allow the base to cool for at least four to five hours
- When the ice cream has sufficiently cooled, insert it into your ice cream maker
- Churn for around 25 minutes
- Add the chopped figs and olives
- Pour in the olive oil and after five minutes the ice cream should be well blended
- Serve and enjoy

Let me know what you think! For more delicious recipes from Fragata click here