Vanilla Bean Custard Hokey Pokey with Chocolate-Dipped Salted Honeycomb

Method

1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Put the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and pod and half the custard sugar in a 16 cm saucepan and heat on medium heat for 5 min, until steaming with small bubbles around the edge (just short of boiling). Turn off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.

   Add in this stepWhole milk 160 mlDouble or heavy cream (35% fat or more) 200 mlVanilla bean (pod) ½White sugar (for the custard) 25 g

   medium heat

2. Whisk the yolks with the rest of the sugar and the salt until paler. Remove the pod, then pour the warm milk onto the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time so the yolks don't scramble. Pour everything back into the pan and cook on low heat for 5 min, stirring constantly in a figure of eight with a spatula, until it reaches 82 °C: when you draw a finger across the custard on the back of the spatula, the line stays clean. Never let it boil, or the eggs will curdle. Strain it straight away into a bowl set in iced water.

   Add in this stepEgg yolks 2White sugar (for the custard) 25 gSalt 1 pinch

   low heat

3. Press cling film onto the surface to stop a skin forming and refrigerate for at least 2 h, until completely cold (5 °C or below).

4. Meanwhile make the honeycomb. Put the sugar, golden syrup and water in a 16 cm deep saucepan and stir on low heat for 2 min until dissolved, then stop stirring, turn up to medium heat and boil for 4 min, until a thermometer reads 149–150 °C and the syrup is deep amber. Take it off the heat at once. Keep children out of the kitchen.

   Add in this stepWhite sugar (for the honeycomb) 60 gGolden syrup 2 tbspWater 1 tbsp

   low heat→medium heat

5. Add the sifted baking soda, whisk fast for just 5 seconds and immediately pour it into a 15×10 cm tin lined with baking paper, without spreading. Sprinkle the flaky salt over while it is hot and leave for 30 min to cool and harden. Never touch the 150 °C syrup.

   Add in this stepBaking soda 1 tspFlaky sea salt ¼ tsp

6. Put the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water on low heat (the bowl must not touch the water) and stir for 3 min until smooth. Break the honeycomb into large shards; half-dip half of them in the chocolate and set them on baking paper, and crush the rest into 1 cm pieces.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (55–70% cocoa) 40 g

   low heat

7. If you have an ice-cream machine, churn the cold custard following its instructions. If not, pour it into a 750 ml shallow metal container and freeze, taking it out every 40 min to beat it hard with a fork or whisk, scraping in the frozen edges; 3 or 4 rounds keep the ice crystals small and the texture smooth. When it is as thick as soft-serve, fold in the 1 cm honeycomb pieces and push the chocolate shards into the top.

8. Cover and freeze for 3 h more until firm. Take it out 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.