Chai Ice Cream With Fig And Whole Spice Syrup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 tbsp good-quality loose-leaf black tea
2 None star anise
10 None cloves
1 None cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 None cardamon pods, bruised
1 piece (3/4 inch) ginger, finely grated
1 1/4 cups light cream
8 None egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 None ginger snap cookies, coarsely crushed
2 tbsp pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped glace ginger
None None FOR THE FIG AND WHOLE SPICE SYRUP
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 None cardamom pods
4 None black peppercorns
6 None cloves
6 None allspice
1 None star anise
4 oz dried figs
2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Preparation

Heat milk in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in tea, spices and ginger until combined. Let stand for 15 mins. Pour through a sieve; discard solids.
Return strained milk to pan. Sir in cream; bring almost to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until pale. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into egg yolk mixture until combined. Return mixture to pan; stir continuously on low heat until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not boil).
Pour custard into a medium stainless steel bowl. Place bowl over a second larger bowl filled with ice; whisk custard for a few minutes to cool slightly. Cover surface with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled.
Churn chilled custard in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's directions. Five mins before end of churning, add cookies, nuts and glace ginger; churn a further 5 mins or until incorporated.
Pour ice cream into a clean 1-quart cardboard milk carton; seal top. Freeze, standing carton upright, for 6 hours or overnight.
For the fig and whole spice syrup, place 1/2 cup water and all ingredients, except orange juice, in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan on low heat; stir for 1 min until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 12 mins or until figs have softened and syrup slightly thickened. Cool, then stir in orange juice. Cut half the figs in half.
To serve, remove ice cream from freezer. Tear away cardboard milk carton. Place on a platter with a lip; spoon fig and whole spice syrup over the top.