Fig Leaf Ice Cream Pastry Chef Jacquelyn Palillero of Talula’s Garden | Philadelphia, PA

At Talula’s Garden, we have a beautiful fig tree planted by our owner, Aimee Olexy, when the restaurant first opened. Late this summer, I harvested its figs and created a sweet, light dessert for our guests to enjoy while dining in view of the very tree that inspired it. The ice cream is infused with fig leaves from our tree, giving it a delicate, nutty, and vanilla flavor. A Meyer lemon honey syrup adds bright acidity, while buttery Meyer lemon shortbread brings crunch and texture. The dish is finished with fresh figs—once again, from our garden’s tree. We sold out every night, and each morning I climbed the tree to gather more figs for the next service—a true labor of love from garden to plate.

Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Honey Syrup:
Yield: 1 pint
• 630 g. honey
• 2 tbsp. The Perfect Purée Meyer Lemon Concentrate, thawed
• ¼ tsp. salt

Ingredients for Fig Leaf Ice Cream:
• 1 ½ oz. fig leaves
• 2 qt. heavy cream
• 2 qt. whole milk
• 2 lbs. 8 ounces sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1,400 g. egg yolks

Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Shortbread:
Yield: 5 quarts
• 2 lbs. butter
• 1 lbs. sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 6 meyer lemons, zested
• 2 tbsp. The Perfect Purée Meyer Lemon Concentrate, thawed
• 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 2 lbs. 8 ounces all-purpose flour

To Assemble and Serve:
• sliced fresh figs

Method for Meyer Lemon Honey Syrup:
Crush the lemon petals in your hand before adding them. Some larger chunks are fine. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Method for Fig Leaf Ice Cream:
In a medium pot, heat the cream, milk, sugar, salt, and fig leaves. Remove from heat and steep overnight. The next day, bring the mixture back to a boil, then temper in the egg yolks. Cook to 180°F, strain, and cool over an ice bath.

Method for Meyer Lemon Shortbread:
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix until combined. Remove from the mixer and bake at 325°F on low fan until golden brown.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a chilled bowl, add a spoonful of Meyer Lemon Shortbread to create a nest for the ice cream. Add two scoops of Fig Leaf Ice Cream using the desired disher. Slice a few fresh figs (preferably from the tree at Talula’s Garden) and arrange them naturally around the ice cream. Pour Meyer Lemon Honey Syrup over the figs and ice cream just before serving.