Honey ice cream with honeycomb and toasted almonds

Ingredients

For the ice cream

• 500 ml (17 fl oz) double cream
• 250 ml (8½ fl oz) whole milk
• 150 g (5 oz) local honey
• 40 g (1½ oz) flaked almonds

For the honeycomb

• 150 g (5 oz) granulated (raw) sugar
• 50 g (2 oz) local honey
• 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Method

The honey is supplied by our local apiarist in Tufnell Park, from the hives in his garden. I would always recommend you use local honey if you can. My friend, a local bee keeper, urges us to plant more wildflowers and it is interesting that the urban bee population produces a honey with a distinctive taste as a result of the diversity of plant life within the city.

Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add the honey. Stir well to mix and leave to cool down to 4°C (39°F) within 90 minutes, then churn in your ice cream maker according to machine instructions.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, until lightly coloured, but not burnt.

While the ice cream mix is cooling, line a baking tray with a silicone mat and make the honeycomb.

Spread the sugar over the base of a saucepan then add the honey and 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to the boil whilst stirring gently to allow the sugar to dissolve.

Once the temperature reaches 150°C (300°F), quickly add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk until it is just mixed in. Do not overmix.

Swiftly pour the foaming syrup on to the prepared baking tray. Do not spread or disturb it, as this will cause it to deflate. Let it stand until cool to the touch – about 10 minutes.

Break into pieces and transfer immediately to an airtight container to preserve the crispness.

To use the honeycomb, scatter a handful of small pieces into the ice-cream maker 5 minutes before the end of the churning time; alternatively, ripple through once the ice cream is churned.

Serve with the toasted almonds and more honeycomb pieces.

Ruby Violet’s Ice Cream Dreams by Julie Fisher, £16.99, Hardback, Hardie Grant.