One of the joys of summer, for me, is fresh figs on a daily basis. They’re picked straight from our tree, which is just outside the kitchen door.  The taste is truly divine. Every time I go outside, I can’t resist picking a couple more. One day last week, I was in and out more than usual and ended up with a growing mountain of figs on the kitchen table.

This might surprise you, but not everyone in our household is crazy about figs. This left me with a dilema. I had a mountain of figs and there was no way the rest of us could eat them all before they went off, so I got creative. I gave some away and made the rest into fig ice cream.

Chilling a gorgeous taste, like fig, down can be a mistake. When I tried making plum ice cream, the subtle taste was lost, leaving a fairly bland ice cream. I’ve never sampled fig ice cream before. I had no idea if it would be a hit or not. After some research, I decided the best way forward was to make a kind of fig jam and add it to the cream mixture. I didn’t have time to make and cool an egg custard as well, so I went for an eggless ice cream.

Cutting a long story short and going straight to the punchline, the result was amazing. It was a serious taste bud tingling moment. It was fruity and fragrant with a hint of sophistication.

Took me right back to being a ten year old, in London, when I was taken along to an ice cream parlour, for the first time. I’d never seen a whole counter of different ice cream flavours. Was it Baskin Robbins? I don’t remember. It certainly claimed a large number of varieties, which none of us could believe until we saw it.

Anyway, up to then I’d not seen more than vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream. Or tasted any other flavours, for that matter. I stood there mesmerized by the unusual, fun and exotic combinations, all set out in tubs before me. It took up one, whole side of the shop. Not surprising, the experience stayed with me.

I suspect there wasn’t a fig option, but it would have fitted right in.

Roll on several decades and here we are with my offering.

The amount of lemon can be varied. It makes a perfect taste combination with the fig. It also transforms the colour. Like magic. The mixture goes from deep ruby red to a sumptuous pink, when it’s added.

Did I mention that it tastes amazing?

Want to have a go at making it? Here’s the recipe.

Will I be making fig ice cream again? You bet I will. It is so easy to make. I can see it being a summer staple from now on. Too delicious to miss out on. I might try it with an egg custard base next time, to make it a little less like a sorbet, but that is the only part I might change.

I can’t help thinking that some one out there has been keeping their cards close to their chest where fig ice cream is concerned. Secret squirrel scenario. Maybe I should have sworn you all to secrecy before I started. Too late now.

Best advice I can give you is to go plant a fig tree in your garden, or else make friends with someone who has one. You won’t regret it. Fresh figs for a summer breakfast takes some beating. Added bonus is that the rest can be made into ice cream. Now that is, if I say it myself, a good idea.