Recipe - Pretty Party Mousse

18 Vanilla wafers
20 California dried figs
stewed and cut up
1 cup Evaporated milk
OR light cream
1 cup Water
One half cup Sugar
One half teaspoon Instant coffee
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Minced toasted walnut meats
2 cup Heavy cream; whipped
1 qt Chocolate ice cream
Whole figs for garnishing

Crumble vanilla wafers and cut the figs into saucepan. Add evaporated
milk or cream, sugar, and instant coffee. Place over medium heat and stir
constantly until cookies and figs are blended with the liquid. Chill
until cold. Add cinnamon and vanilla. Meanwhile, mince walnut meats and
place in moderate oven (350 F.) for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Whip
cream, reserving onefourth for garnishing. Place ice cream in mixing
bowl, stir until somewhat softened. Quickly add fig cookie mixture, nuts
and whipped cream. Combine thoroughly, working fast. Before ice cream
melts turn it into a mold and place in freezing compartment of
refrigerator. Freeze fast until firm. To serve, dip quickly into
justwarm water, turn out on chilled serving plate, garnish with whipped
cream that has been sweetened and flavored with vanilla. Surround with
whole figs. Serves 10 to 12.

Source: 48 Family Favorites with California Figs
Reprinted with the permission of The California Fig Advisory Board
Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/califfig.zip