Honey Ice Cream: A Rich Custard Base Sweetened With Honey
Honey ice cream is one of the best ways to taste a good honey, because cold cream carries its floral or malty notes beautifully. Honey also does something useful: it keeps homemade ice cream softer and easier to scoop than sugar does. This guide gives you a classic custard base for an ice cream maker, a no-churn version, the honey to choose, and swirl-in ideas from honeycomb candy to roasted figs.
Custard honey ice cream
This makes about 1 quart. A custard base made with egg yolks is rich and smooth, and it holds the honey flavor well.
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Method
Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan until steaming, with small bubbles at the edge. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, honey and salt until smooth. Slowly pour about a cup of the hot cream into the yolks while whisking, to warm them without scrambling, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula and reaches 170 to 175°F on a thermometer, about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not let it boil. Strain into a clean bowl, stir in the vanilla, cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Churn according to your machine's directions, then freeze in a covered container for 3 to 4 hours until firm.
No-churn honey ice cream
No machine needed. Whip 2 cups cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. In another bowl, stir together one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Fold the whipped cream in gently, spread in a loaf pan, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours. It is sweeter than the custard version, so use a bolder honey to keep the flavor from tasting only sweet.
Why honey makes ice cream softer
Sugars lower the freezing point of water, and honey is mostly fructose and glucose, which lower it more than the same weight of table sugar. That means more of the water stays unfrozen at freezer temperature, so honey ice cream stays softer and scoops more easily straight from the freezer. Too much honey can make it too soft and syrupy, which is why recipes stop at about 1/2 cup per quart.
Which honey to use
Cold dulls flavors slightly, so pick a honey with character. Wildflower or Pure Raw gives a classic honey taste. Orange Blossom makes a fragrant, almost floral ice cream. For a dramatic, caramel-like flavor, use 2 tablespoons of Buckwheat in place of some of the honey. Adding the honey to the yolks rather than boiling it with the cream keeps more of its aroma.
Swirl-ins and serving ideas
Fold mix-ins into the ice cream just after churning.
- Crushed honeycomb candy for crunch
- Toasted walnuts or pistachios and a ribbon of extra honey
- Roasted figs or blueberries
- Cinnamon and crumbled graham crackers
- Lavender: steep 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender in the warm cream and strain
Frequently asked questions
- Can you use honey instead of sugar in ice cream?
- Yes. Honey makes ice cream softer and more scoopable. Use about 1/2 cup per quart; much more makes it too soft.
- Why is my honey ice cream icy?
- The base may not have been chilled long enough before churning, or it was stored uncovered. Chill overnight and press plastic wrap on the surface in the freezer.
- Can I make honey ice cream without eggs?
- Yes. Use the no-churn method, or warm cream and milk with honey, chill and churn as a Philadelphia-style ice cream.
- How long does homemade honey ice cream keep?
- It tastes best within 1 to 2 weeks. Store it covered with plastic pressed onto the surface to prevent ice crystals.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
