pistachio ice cream with honeycomb
Pistachio ice cream with honeycomb is a sophisticated twist on traditional ice cream which is perfect for those that appreciate artisanal, well-crafted desserts. Pistachios and honey have been used in cooking for thousands of years and star in many traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean desserts - like baklava and knafeh! This ice cream recipe creates a dessert that is both unique and nostalgic with layers of flavor and texture that evolve with each spoonful!
What are the benefits of making homemade ice cream?
With homemade ice cream you are in control of what goes in - many commercial ice cream brands use artificial additives, stabilizers and emulsifiers to extend shelf life while homemade ice cream skips these unnecessary ingredients and focuses on flavor and quality ingredients! By making ice cream at home you also control the air content - commercially made ice creams can contain up to 50% air because they are over churned while homemade ice cream is churned enough to still keep the rich flavor and naturally creamy texture. Churning is an important step in ice cream making to incorporate air into the ice cream base during the freezing process for a smooth texture and to control the size of crystals, but over churning ice cream can cause emulsion breakdown (fat and water components to separating) which is why many commercial ice cream brands use artificial emulsifiers.
Fun fact: the natural oils in pistachios and the viscous texture of honey act together as a natural emulsifier in recipes. If you are wondering what exactly is an emulsifier here is a quick explanation: emulsifiers are added in recipes because they help blend ingredients together that usually don’t mix well - such as oil and water.
How to make pistachio ice cream with honeycomb?
Making pistachio ice cream with honeycomb at home couldn’t be easier! To begin the recipe place a large pot over medium heat and bring 4 cups of whole milk and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to simmer. Whisk in 1 1/4 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup honey and lower the heat to low. Stir in 1 cup of pistachios and continue to simmer for 45 minutes. Next temper the egg yolks. Place the 6 yolks in a small bowl and slowly drizzle in the hot milk mixture while constantly whisking to keep the eggs from scrambling. Then slowly drizzle the yolk and milk mixture back into the pot while constantly whisking. Whisk in 1/2 cup of pistachio butter and a pinch of salt. Bring to simmer and remove from heat. Cool the ice cream base on a wire rack until room temperature. Then pour the base into your ice cream maker and churn for 35 minutes. Cut the honey comb into bite size pieces and drop the pieces one at a time into the ice cream maker while it’s churning. Place the ice cream in a freezer safe container and freeze over night. Serve with fresh honey comb, enjoy!
Tips
Put the tub from your ice cream maker in a freezer a day or two before starting this recipe.
Cut the honeycomb into small chunks so you get some in every bite!
Chopping the pistachios in various sizes will give the ice cream more texture.
When tempering the egg yolks pour the hot liquid in a small stream while constantly whisking to prevent them from scrambling. If poured too fast the yolks will end up chunky and scrambled instead of smooth.
Make sure your container is freezer safe - not all types of glass are fit for freezer and may break.
You can use either pistachio paste or butter in this recipe. The difference between pistachio paste and butter is that paste is often sweetened while butter is not.
Recommended products to make this recipe
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