Is it really possible to make ice cream without an ice cream machine?

Yes! With just 2 ingredients you can make ice cream! Simply whisk double cream with condensed milk to create a smooth, sweet and oh-so-creamy ice cream without ice crystals. You can swirl in all sorts of flavours and toppings too. No stirring every few hours - and definitely no ice cream maker required. This is the easiest ice cream you will ever make.

Honeycomb is a sweet, crunchy confection with a delicious toffee-ish flavour. You might have heard it called ‘cinder toffee’ or ‘hokey pokey’. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, recipes tend to use golden syrup. However, in America, they often use honey which gives a more floral flavour. If you haven’t made your own honeycomb, you probably have tried a chocolate-coated version in the form of a crunchie chocolate bar.

What can I serve with this Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream?

This Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream is so delicious that you can just scoop into bowls and dive in. Perfect for a simple make-ahead dessert. You can jazz it up by grating over some chocolate curls using a vegetable peeler. A drizzle of melted chocolate or chocolate sauce also tastes so good. I think dark chocolate works best as it balances the sweetness of the honeycomb. I sometimes add chopped toasted almonds or hazelnuts for extra flavour and texture. If you are feeling super fancy, you could even make a praline… You can also use this Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream as part of other puddings. Take your sticky toffee pudding or chocolate brownie to the next level by serving a scoop alongside. I also love making Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream Sundaes with all sorts of sauces and toppings. Try layering scoops with drizzles of Biscoff, nutella, fruit coulis, melted nut butters and/or melted chocolate. Then think about the textures. Crumbled Brownie Bites or cookies, crushed biscuits, fudge pieces, chopped chocolate and/or fruit are all delicious. I like to take inspiration from popular desserts like apple crumble. Imagine scoops of Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream with crunchy spiced crumble pieces and slow-cooked apple compote. Delicious! Alternatively, keep it simple with a Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream Affogato. You just pop a scoop in a heat-proof glass or coffee cup and ‘drown’ in an espresso.

Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream

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If you thought making your own ice cream requires an ice cream machine, think again! This crunchy, creamy no-churn Homemade Honeycomb Ice Cream is so delicious and uses just 5 ingredients…

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours (chilling time)
Total Time: 7 hours
Yield: 6 - 8 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Blending
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

2 tbsp golden syrup
140 g caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
600ml double cream
1 x 397g tin condensed milk

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Instructions

Line a 23cm square baking tin or baking tray with non-stick baking paper. This is for the honeycomb which will be very hot, so make sure it is on a surface that can handle heat in case of any spills.
Next, take a large pan (the honeycomb mix will froth up a lot so choose a pan larger than you think) and add the golden syrup. Place over a gentle heat for about 1 minute - or until the syrup becomes very runny.
Add the sugar and bring to the boil, swirling the pan to stop it from burning (don’t stir). Once boiling, continue to cook for 3 minutes, swirling often to prevent it from burning. Do time it and don't guess.
Remove from the heat and shoot in the bicarbonate of soda. Stir quickly and confidently - you don’t want to overmix it but you do want it to be completely dissolved. Take care, it will really froth up.
Pour into the prepared tin/onto the prepared baking sheet and leave for about 1 hour - or until set. Don’t touch it at all during this time as it will be VERY hot.
Once the honeycomb has completely cooled, roughly chop into small-ish pieces.
Next, line a 900g / 2lb loaf tin with cling film, ensuring you have enough overhanging the sides. Set aside.
Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and, using an electric whisk, whisk until you have soft peaks.
Add the condensed milk and whisk again until thickened.
Fold in the homemade honeycomb chunks until evenly distributed throughout.
Pour into the prepared tin and smooth over the top using a spatula. Cover with cling film and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Be patient: you want to make sure you do gently boil the mixture for 3 minutes, I set a timer. If you don't cook it enough the honeycomb will be soft and chewy. If you have a thermometer you will want it to reach 150c
Top tip for cleaning! As soon as you've finished with the pan pop it in the sink and fill with hot water from the tap and fairly liquid and the honeycomb will come off very easily - don't leave it to sit and harden or you'll never get it off.
Cheat’s honeycomb: if you don’t have time to (or prefer not to) make your own honeycomb, some chopped up crunchie bars are delicious.
Chocolate dipped honeycomb: this honeycomb is great as a delicious snack or a homemade gift. I like to chop into chards, dip in dark chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. So delicious.
Remove from the freezer before serving: it is important to remove the ice cream from the freezer a few minutes before serving to give it time to soften a little and make it easier to scoop.
Make it vegan-friendly: although I haven’t tried it, you could use some nifty vegan swaps to make a homemade vegan ice cream. Simply use a vegan whippable cream (either this one from The Coconut Collab or Oatly’s whippable creamy oat) and Carnation’s Vegan Condensed Milk.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/homemade-honeycomb-ice-cream/