Editor's note: Steve Reynolds' recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from author Diana Henry's book The Gastropub Cookbook, a guide to more than 150 dining pubs in Britain and Ireland. Chef Reynolds also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
To read more about Steve and gastropub cuisine, click here.
It's hard to believe that a Michelin-starred establishment would serve a dessert that's this simple, but good cooking is about knowing when to leave well enough alone. Steve prefers Irish whiskey for the ice-cream, but you can use Scotch.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 75 ml (2 3/4 fl oz) of the whisky and flame to burn off the alcohol. Once the flames have died down, stir in the milk and cream. While this is coming to a boil, whisk the egg yolks and honey together with a standing or handheld mixer until they have doubled in size and become fluffy.
Step 2
2. Take the milk and cream off the heat and pour half onto the egg yolks. Whisk until combined, then put to one side.
Step 3
3. Put the remainder of the milk and cream back onto the heat and, when it is boiling, add the egg mixture, turn down the heat and whisk constantly for approximately 1 minute.
Step 4
4. Pour into a large bowl to lower the mixture's temperature and stir in the last 25 ml (3/4 fl oz) whiskey. Cover and chill.
Step 5
5. Once thoroughly cool, churn in an ice-cream machine. Alternatively, pour into a freezerproof container, put in the freezer and beat every 20 minutes until set.
Step 6
6. Place the warm figs in 6 shallow bowls or on 6 plates, pour over some syrup and put a scoop of honey and whiskey ice-cream in the centre.
