The season of one of the most delicious fruits and with the most combinations in the world of gelato has begun!
Why is fig also called the “false fruit”? Because it is one of the few fruits in the world that is not fertilized !!! There are hundreds of types, the first to come into season are the “fioroni” figs in June, but it is around August and September that we find the tastiest varieties suitable for preparing jams and for use in gelato.
I like it particularly use it as a variegate, for example on a cheese gelato such as stracchino, buffalo or sheep ricotta. The fig is a fruit that, due to its sweetness, goes well with savory dishes, very often jams or fig mustards are paired with seasoned cheeses or the fruit also goes well with prosciutto. In the world of gelato the combination with nuts like nuts can be particularly interesting.
Then I love caramelizing it or “semicandirlo”, because with all the fibers it contains I find it particularly suitable. With the right proportions of sugars and the right processing technique you can create sauces to variegate very tasty gelatos, the possibilities are as endless as ever!
Then there is obviously the fig sorbet that goes very well with dark chocolate and other dried fruits such as walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios. The fig is very rich in pectin (like apricot or apple, for example) and therefore sometimes I make fig sorbet even without using stabilizers and I must say that I like it a lot.
Obviously it must always be used without the peel for a discussion of hygiene and cleanliness but also for the discourse of smog and other poisonous substances that may exist even if it is organic.
Last but not least: dried figs! I like to use dried figs as a sweetener in order to get an excellent gelato with no added sugars especially suitable for diabetics, for those who follow a diet for which they cannot take sugars or why not, for those who simply like to taste it like this! I can assure you that the result is very good and I advise you to try both the dried fig and also the date as the only sweetener in the recipe. I am thinking of using figs even more in gourmet gelato, and I will certainly cut out some time for myself between the basic course and the advanced course to indulge me with new tastes!
