Note: To make this ice cream, you’ll need three bowls (1 large metal, 1 medium metal, and 1 plastic), a medium saucepan, a whisk, a spatula, a sieve, an ice cream maker, and an airtight container.
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup honey
½ cup + ⅓ cup red bean paste [Note: these will be used at two separate times during the recipe.]
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and salt in a saucepan, and heat on low until the mixture starts to simmer. Remove from heat.
In the plastic bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and honey until combined.
Very slowly, ladle or pour the milk mixture into the egg yolks, a small amount at a time, whisking the egg yolk mixture quickly so that it doesn’t heat too much to the point where the egg cooks and becomes scrambled. Do this until the egg yolk mixture is warm to the touch and enough milk has been added.
Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan over low heat. Stir slowly and constantly until the ice cream base is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula. (This is called nappe. When you lift the spoon out of the mixture, run your finger across it. If there is a streak and it holds its shape, you’re good to go.) Remove from heat.
Let the mixture fully cool. If you want to make ice cream immediately, cool the liquid down in an ice bath by filling up a bigger bowl with ice cubes and water. Place the metal bowl with the ice cream base in it and whisk the mixture until it is cold to the touch. You can also cover the mixture and refrigerate for 4–5 hours or overnight.
In a food processor, blend ½ cup of the ice cream base and ½ cup of red bean paste together until smooth. Add this mixture back into the remaining ice cream base and stir until combined. Add vanilla extract.
Process the ice cream base in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream has slightly thickened (or during the last 5–10 minutes of churning), add the remaining ⅓ cup of red bean paste.
Once the mixture is churned to the point of thick ice cream, use a spatula to scoop the ice cream into an airtight container. Put in the freezer to harden.
Enjoy the ice cream with any remaining red bean paste that you have left over.