Both honey ice creams and any made with alcohol can be difficult to freeze as these two ingredients affect freezing properties. Don’t add any more honey or alcohol than suggested in the recipe or you’ll end up with a bowl of soft serve.
Make it 24 hours in advance and be sure your freezer is very cold. You can serve it straight from the freezer, no need to take it out in advance. I like using British cider brandy – you can get it online – but Calvados (which you’re more likely to have) is fine.
Requires cooling, churning and freezing time.
Overview
Prep time20 mins Cook time
50 mins Serves
3
Ingredients
For the ice cream
- 4 medium egg yolks
- 500ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 145g raw heather honey
- 3 tbsp cider brandy (or Calvados)
For the apples
- 75g mixed dried fruit (I use a mix with apricots as well as raisins and sultanas), soaked in enough warm cider to cover
- 4 tbsp marmalade
- 55g walnut pieces, roughly chopped
- 4 eating apples
- 150ml cider, plus extra for soaking (as above)
Method
StepIn a large bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with electric beaters until they’re pale in colour and have increased in volume.
StepHeat 500ml double cream in a saucepan until just below boiling point, then add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Take the pan off the heat and slowly pour the cream into the egg yolks, stirring gently but continually. Rinse out the saucepan you’ve used and put the egg and cream mixture back into it.
StepOver a very low heat, cook this until it thickens, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. If you use too much heat the eggs will scramble, so be careful. It should eventually be thick enough for you to run your finger through on the back of the spoon and leave a channel that doesn’t close.
StepAdd 145g raw heather honey and stir until it has melted, then add a good pinch of salt and 3 tbsp cider brandy. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a jug. Leave to cool, then cover and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.
StepChurn the custard mixture in an ice cream machine or, if you don’t have one, pour into a broad plastic container, cover and put in the freezer. When the ice cream starts to set round the edges, tip the mixture into a food processor and whizz, then return to the freezer.
StepDo this another couple of times during the freezing process. However you have made it, keep the ice cream in the freezer, its surface covered with greaseproof paper. Because this is quite a soft ice cream, it’s better to make it the day before so it has time to freeze properly.
StepMeanwhile, for the apples, drain 75g dried fruit (soaked in warm cider) and reserve the cider. Mix together the dried fruit – chop any larger bits you find – marmalade and nuts.
StepHeat the oven to 180C/170C fan/gas mark 4. Make a ‘hat’ by cutting off the top of each apple (these shouldn’t be too small). Keep the stalk intact and core the 4 apples.
StepPut the apples into an ovenproof dish. There shouldn’t be too much space around each one. Fill the apples with the dried-fruit stuffing and pour 150ml cider around them – including the cider from the fruit – then put the hats on. Bake for 30-40 minutes, spooning the juices over the apples from time to time, until the apples are tender all the way through.
StepServe the apples when they’re slightly warm, with the ice cream.
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