Fig Gelato

Jul 27, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Vanilla: Beans Medium

A generous swirl of fig gelato in a small glass cup with a flat gelato spade

A rich and creamy fig gelato made with a custard base enriched with egg yolks and infused with vanilla bean to highlight the deep, honeyed flavor of ripe figs. The figs are gently poached and pureed to add body and sweetness.

Prep 25 min

Cook 20 min

Cooling 5 hr 30 min

Total 6 hr 15 min

Servings 8

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (480.0 ml)whole milk
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)heavy cream
4.0 large (76.0 g)egg yolks
½ cup (100.0 g)granulated sugar
2.0 tbsp (12.0 g)skim milk powder
⅛ tsp (0.75 g)fine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 ½ cups (225.0 g)fresh ripe figs, halved
60.0 ml (60.0 ml)water
1.0 tbsp (21.0 g)mild honey

Make it at home

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Instructions

Combine whole milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan.
Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the pod as well. Heat over medium heat until just simmering; then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place figs and water in a small saucepan and simmer gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until figs are very soft and liquid is reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar, skim milk powder, and fine sea salt until pale and slightly thickened.
Remove vanilla pod from the milk mixture and reheat milk mixture to 170-175°F (77-79°C).
Temper the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks slowly, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Return the combined custard to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 175°F (79°C). Do not boil.
Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any solids.
Add the poached fig mixture and honey to the custard and puree with an immersion blender until smooth but retaining some texture.
Cover and refrigerate the fig custard base for at least 1.5 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions, about 20-30 minutes.
Transfer gelato to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours to set before serving.
Serve scoops of the fig gelato garnished with thin fresh fig slices or a drizzle of honey if desired.

Tips

Poaching figs gently concentrates their sweetness and softens their texture for a more flavorful gelato.
Vanilla bean paste (1 tsp) can replace the bean and scraper if unavailable; add with the milk to infuse.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make fig gelato?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 5 hours 30 minutes to chill and freeze. The recipe makes about 1 quart (8 servings).

How should I store fig gelato?

Keep gelato tightly covered in the freezer for up to one week. Let sit at room temperature 5 minutes before serving for best texture.

Can I make fig gelato ahead?

Prepare and chill the custard base the day before churning to save time.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

247 Calories / serving

15.4g Fat

24.2g Carbs

4.5g Protein

23.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~1976 cal · 123g fat · 194g carbs · 36g protein · 186g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 247 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 47 min·2.7 mi·~5500 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 33 min·1.7 mi·~3300 steps
Moderate cycling 25 min·5.0 mi
Swimming laps 35 min
Jogging 24 min·2.0 mi·~3850 steps
Stair climbing 23 min·~2050 steps
Dancing 40 min
Bodyweight circuit training 25 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 57 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.