PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES (PLUS CHURNING AND OVERNIGHT FREEZING TIME)

COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

MY PERFECT ICE CREAM

Everywhere I go in the world, no matter where it is, I’ll search out a good ice cream. At home in Dee Why, in the big bad city, in a convenience store in Bali, in a World Champion gelato store in Tuscany or at a stinking-hot market in Costa Rica, I’m always able to find room for an ice cream. This is my favourite combination. Simple, but perfect. Vanilla and honeycomb. Thank you very much.

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) full-cream (whole) milk

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thick (double/heavy) cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways seeds scraped

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)

6 large free-range egg yolks

2 free-range eggs

275 g (9¾ oz/1¼ cups) caster (superfine) sugar

2 x 50 g (1¾ oz) choc-honeycomb bars (such as Violet Crumble), crushed into chunks

waffle cones, to serve (optional)

Place the milk, cream, vanilla bean and seeds and vanilla bean paste in a large heavy-based saucepan and bring gently to the boil over low heat. As soon as it reaches boiling point remove from the heat and allow the vanilla to infuse while you prepare the egg yolks.

Beat together the egg yolks, eggs and sugar in a large bowl for a couple of minutes or until the yolks are pale, thick and creamy. Beating continuously, sieve one-third of the hot milk and cream mix into the egg mixture. Combine well, then pour the remaining mix into the egg mixture through the sieve and beat further.

Clean your saucepan and pour the custard back in. Cook over medium heat, but avoid boiling the custard as you can curdle it and it will give the ice cream an eggy taste. Stir the custard continuously until the mixture thickens and it coats the back of a spoon (see note).

Set a large stainless steel bowl over an ice bath (see note) and pour in the hot custard mix, whisking continuously to cool it. You can set the ice-cream mix in the fridge to cool further as this will assist the ice-cream making process.

Pour the cooled mixture into your ice-cream machine and churn following the manufacturer’s instructions. When the churning is 5 minutes from completion, add in the crushed choc-honeycomb bars.

The ice cream will have a soft texture when finished. Remove it from the machine, spoon it into an airtight container and place it in the freezer overnight, or until hard. Serve the finished ice cream in bowls or scoop it straight into waffle cones — my favourite.

NOTES

∎   Vanilla bean paste can be found at most large supermarket chains and is the best substitute for real vanilla. I like it in this recipe as it gives the ice cream an extra vanilla hit.

∎   To check if the custard is thick enough, use a metal spoon and dip it in the custard, then run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the custard doesn’t rejoin where your finger has made a line, then the custard is ready.

∎   An ice bath is just a large bowl filled with ice and a little water. You use it to cool hot liquids rapidly. This is important when making custard.