Fig Out to Support SFC!
With ice cream, we have one product and many opportunities. Not only opportunities for flavors and a variety of unique flavor experiences, but also for ingredients and the partnerships that come with them. As we like to say (because it's so true!), "by supporting us, you also support the people we support." This month, we bring this fact to the fore in encouraging the sale of a single flavor to support a specific organization.
Throughout the month of August, we have been raising money for the Sustainable Food Center of Austin with our #GoFigOrGoHome campaign: 100% of the profits from our Fromage & Fig ice cream sales will be donated to SFC at the end of the month! So by buying a pint or scoop of our Fromage & Fig flavor, you can help us support this amazing local organization.
^Full Quiver Farms Cream Cheese spread, as pictured, is a great alternative to traditional neufchatel and is available at Whole Foods Market!
We took the opportunity, now two years in a row, to team up with the Sustainable Food Center because of their focus on health, the health of people, community, environment, and economy. SFC works with local farmers to promote access to fresh, seasonal, and healthy food (click here to read more from our last blog post). And because of them and organizations like them, WE as a business also gain access to the local farmers who can provide us with the most fresh and flavorful foods to shine in our ice creams.
One of the farms -- that also happens to be a nonprofit organization -- that we have been connected to is Urban Roots. Urban Roots provides access to fresh, seasonal, and healthy produce to the community with the unique help of youths! This local organization empowers youths to connect with the earth, grow food, learn business skills, and share their knowledge and the fruit of their labors with the community. 40% of their harvest is donated directly to food pantries and soup kitchens (click here to read more about Urban Roots), while another portion is sold to businesses and to the public at the SFC Farmers' Markets. We have been lucky enough to gain access to their largest crop each year: FIGS! Which means that, by supporting our #GoFigOrGoHome campaign, you also support Urban Roots!
So, in the spirit of this month, we would like to share with you a very special recipe: the recipe for our Fromage & Fig ice cream! This recipe was also shared and demonstrated by our co-owner and chef, Anthony, at two Ice Cream Making Workshops held at CRAFT this month!
The beauty of having access to a good ice cream base recipe is that this base will provide an opportunity for YOU to support local farmers and organizations, to create an irresistible treat made with peak-season produce, and to share it with all of your friends and family. We encourage playing around with any fruits and flavorings that you can find at the SFC Farmers' Markets (or whatever your local market may be)! Or get some freshly picked figs while they're still available and recreate this seasonal favorite in your own home!
Stovetop Ice Cream Base
Ingredients 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
2 Tbs tapioca starch
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 oz fresh Full Quiver Farm neufchatel (optional)
3/4 cup fig jam (recipe below)
Procedure
Pour 3/4 cup cream into a small bowl. Whisk in tapioca starch and set aside.
In a saucepan, whisk together the remaining cream, milk, sugar, and brown rice syrup. Place over medium-high heat and whisk continuously until the mixture comes to a soft boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, whisking each minute. While whisking, pour the cream and tapioca mixture into the saucepan. Whisk continuously as the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat, then blend in vanilla and neufchatel (optional). Cover mixture and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight. Once cold, pour the liquid ice cream into a prepared ice cream making and churn until thickened to a soft-serve consistency, about 15-20 minutes.
With a spatula, scoop one third of the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and fold 1/4 cup fig jam into the ice cream to swirl. Add another third of the ice cream on top and fold another 1/4 cup fig jam. Top the last third of the ice cream, swirl 1/4 cup fig jam, and freezer for at least 2 hours or until hard before serving.
Fig Jam
1 pound fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Add figs and sugar to a saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until figs begin to break down and mixture bubbles. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until jam is thick. Remove from heat to cool. Once mixture is cool, add lemon juice and blend jam until smooth. Refrigerate the jam. It's ready to swirl into ice cream once cold!
