Bourbon-Fig Spread

Last Wednesday I participated in a cooking contest at Chris’ office. Some of his colleagues decided that there should be a fun monthly contest from July until the end of the year that would test out the cooking skills of the office mates and their significant others. This month’s theme was “Dips and Spreads.” I decided to make a bourbon-fig spread. For serving, I sent along Brie cheese and rosemary crackers, although I think that Stilton cheese would probably be equally tasty for next time. The batch makes enough to fill one, 16oz Ball jar.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

¾ cup Kentucky bourbon

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

7oz bag of dried Mission figs, diced

¼ cup dried cranberries*

½ tsp double-strength vanilla extract

juice of 1 lemon, divided

pinch sea salt

¼ cup honey (or more to taste)

¼ cup water

4 ½ tsp fruit pectin (such as SureJell)

Brie or Stilton cheese, for serving

Crackers or bread, for serving

Instructions:

In a non-stick saucepan, melt butter, sugar, and bourbon over low to medium low heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and mix well.

Add figs, cranberries, vanilla, juice of ½ lemon, and sea salt. Steep mixture over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. The fruit should soften some and the aromas should begin to meld.

Move entire mixture from the saucepan to a food processor or blender, and process until it is the consistency of a preserve. Scoop back into the saucepan and back over low heat. Add honey, the juice from the other lemon half, and water and stir well to incorporate. Add more honey and /or water to adjust for taste.

Sprinkle the pectin over the mixture and stir well. Turn heat to medium. Cook spread until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve with cheese and crackers.

*You can substitute other dried fruit as desired. In total, you should end up with about 2 cups of fruit.
[Recipe adapted from Jean’s Kentucky Bourbon Fig Compote, Panera Featured Member: http://mypanera.panerabread.com/recipes/recipe/kentucky-bourbon-fig-compote/]

Homemade Banana Bourbon Ice Cream

The first try at our Cuisinart Ice Cream and Sorbet maker was a complete success when I made ice cream! My husband, Chris, will tell you that he made ice cream. He didn’t make ice cream. I did. He did, however, come up with the flavor for our first creation and I will give him due props on that vision. The vision was for banana bourbon ice cream, so that was what I set out to make.

Cuisinart, in their ice cream maker instructions provides you with suggested recipes and their little booklet proved to be a very helpful place to begin. Included in the recipes was one for a banana walnut chip ice cream. One ingredient out of 3 seemed like a good start. Plus, in the initial preparations for the banana part, it called for rum. Perfect. Substitute: bourbon.

Banana Bourbon Ice Cream

Makes about 5 cups

1/2 cup 2% milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large bananas, sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 tablespoon bourbon

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, bring the milk, cream, vanilla extract, and salt just to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.

2. While the cream mixture is steeping, heat the sugar with water in a large skillet until it begins to sizzle. Stir in the butter and heat until melted. Add the bananas; cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant and softened. Carefully stir in the rum and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, strain the banana/sugar mixture, reserving the sugar syrup and bananas in separate bowls.

3. Stir lemon juice into the bananas and then mix the bananas into the steeped cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate mixture 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.

4. After refrigeration is complete, set up the Cuisinart ice cream maker. Turn on the ice cream maker. Pour the banana mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, almost 15 minutes.

5. Nearing the 15 minute mark, gradually pour in the sugar mixture. Let the ice cream maker continue to churn for about another 2 minutes. Pour in the last 1/2 tablespoon of bourbon and let ice cream complete churning for about 2 minutes. Turn off ice cream maker and transfer ice cream to an air-tight container. Freeze until desired consistency and time to serve.

Enjoy!