Vegetarian Christmas dinner

Fig Ice Cream
Serves 8 (1½ pts)

This recipe can be made with either double cream, half fat cream or half fat milk and you'll need an ice cream maker. If you don't have one, buy a good vanilla ice cream, gently simmer some sliced dried figs with a little orange juice, a knob of butter, a spoonful of brandy and a spoonful of sugar until the juices thicken to a syrup. Pour the warm mixture over the ice cream.

4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
600ml double cream
5 semi-soft dried figs
1 tbsp rose water
juice of half a lemon

1. Pour the cream into a saucepan and slowly heat to boiling point.
2. Remove from the heat as soon as a bubble breaks, then stir well. Return the mixture to a low heat and stir constantly until the mixture leaves a thin film on the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Do not let it boil or it will separate.
4. Remove pan from the heat and leave it until cold. Place the ice cream bowl in the freezer for at least eight hours or according to manufacturer's instructions.
5. Pour in the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions.