Lavender and Toasted Almond Ice Cream with Warm Figs

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
• 4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, divided
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
• Cooking spray
• 12 ripe figs, halved
• 2 tablespoons ruby port

Preparation

1. Place sugar and lavender in a spice or coffee grinder, and process until ground. Discard any large pieces.
2. Combine milk, 1/2 cup honey, and egg yolks in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until mixture is slightly thick and coats the back of a spoon (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly (do not boil). Remove from heat; add lavender powder, stirring until blended. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Chill 2 hours.
3. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
4. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container; stir in almonds. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons honey in bottom of dish. Place figs, cut-sides down, in prepared dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until figs are tender. Turn figs; add port to dish, and baste figs with honey mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Spoon ice cream into bowls, and serve with figs and sauce.