Truly decadent, this custard is not to be taken lightly! Not only does honey impart a much more smooth and scoopable texture than table sugar, the normally subtle honey flavors pop in this dessert. I love black locust honey in this, but experiment with your favorite variety.
ingredients
yield: about a quart
- 2 Cups Cream
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 8 Egg Yolks
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt
- 1-3 Tablespoons Wigle Landlocked Spice Honey Spirit or other spiced rum or brandy, optional, to taste
deviations & tips
Don't add any more than 3 tablespoons of booze! More than that, and this ice-cream melts too quickly.
For a truly boozy dessert, serve with a shot of spirit.
Serve drizzled with additional honey and fresh berries.
Pour a shot of espresso over a scoop for a profound affogato experience!
the method
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring cream and milk to a bare simmer, about 150-160F on your thermometer or until bubbles just start to form around the edges. Remove from heat.
Using a hand or standing mixer, whisk together egg yolks and honey on medium speed until thickened (about 6 minutes). With mixer on slow speed, slowly add about 2 cups of warm milk mixture to egg mixture. (This helps to temper the eggs and helps keep them from cooking.) Stir until well combined.
Beat egg yolks and honey until mixture resembles cake batter.
Add egg mixture to saucepan with milk mixture. Cook custard on low heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens or to about to about 170-175F. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon and leave a clean line when swiped with a finger. Be careful; once the temperature starts ticking past 180, you'll start to cook up egg bits.
Mixture is ready to be removed from heat.
Using a fine mesh sieve, strain into a container. Stir in vanilla, liquor and salt. Let cool to room temperature, cover tightly, and chill 6-8 hours or overnight.
Remove any cooked egg bits.
Make sure the custard is completely chilled (about 40-45F). Churn in an ice-cream maker for 20-30 minutes or according to the manufacturers instructions.
Honey Vanilla Frozen Custard