Hazelnut ice-cream with chestnut honey

Apr 29, 2007

250ml/8fl oz double cream
250ml/8fl oz whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
5 egg yolks
125ml/4oz caster sugar
200g/7oz hazelnuts
4tbsp chesnut honey

Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2.

Start by making the ice-cream base. Combine the cream and the milk
in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the vanilla pod (I tend not to scrape
out the seeds unless l am specifically making vanilla ice-cream).

Place over a medium heat and bring to just under the boil. Remove
and cover with a lid and leave to infuse for 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolk and the sugar until
thick and pale. Pour in the hot liquid and stir to combine, return the
mixture to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and return the pan to the
stove.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the custard slowly and consistently (I
use a figure-of-eight movement) until it begins to thicken. The time
this takes varies, but ideally you should know when the custard is
thick enough when it starts to coat the wooden spoon. You can test this
by running your index finger along the back of the spoon; if a ribbon
trail is left, your custard is ready. Quickly remove from the heat,
pour into a bowl and allow to cool. (Homemade ice-cream does not keep
well, it is at its best for only a couple of days.)

Next, place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast slowly in the
hot oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Pulse
in a Magimix (or use a pestle and mortar) until the nuts are coarsely
ground.

Place the cooled custard in an ice-cream maker and allow to half
set. Add the ground hazelnuts and continue until the ice-cream has
properly set. Scoop into bowls and drizzle the chestnut honey over the
top. Serve immediately.

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