Dairy Ice Creams Recipe

Make the dough

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until pale and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on low until just combined into a soft dough. Do not overwork.

Shape and bake

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, press into a 9x5 inch (or 9-inch square) pan lined with parchment to 1/2-inch thickness, or roll and cut into fingers. Dock with a fork if using a sheet. Bake 25–30 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, break or cut into small crumbs (about 1 cup) for serving and reserve some larger pieces for texture if desired.

Warm dairy and chocolate

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk over medium heat until cocoa is dissolved and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in 4 oz finely chopped bittersweet chocolate until melted and smooth. Let sit 5 minutes.

Temper yolks and make custard

In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks. Slowly add about 1 cup of the warm chocolate-milk mixture to the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining warm mixture. Return to low-medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil.

Strain and chill

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Cool the custard to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight until fully cold.

Churn and freeze

Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until soft-set (20–30 minutes). Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press a piece of parchment onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze at least 4 hours until firm.

Make honeycomb candy

Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil. In a heavy saucepan combine 3/4 cup caster sugar and 1 tbsp light corn syrup (if using) over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and allow to boil until amber (300–310°F / hard-crack stage) — watch closely. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; the mixture will foam vigorously. Immediately pour onto prepared sheet and let cool and harden. Once set, break into irregular pieces (roughly 1–2 cm shards).

Make custard base

In a saucepan warm 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp honey and 1/4 tsp salt until hot but not boiling. In a bowl whisk 4 egg yolks. Temper the yolks by adding about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture in a thin stream while whisking, then return all to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C).

Finish and chill

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any bits. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn and fold honeycomb

Churn the chilled base in an ice cream maker until soft-set. During the last 2–3 minutes of churning, add about three-quarters of the broken honeycomb shards so they distribute evenly (reserve some shards for garnish). Transfer to a freezer container and freeze at least 4 hours.

Prepare strawberry purée

Place 2 cups chopped strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a bowl and mash lightly. Let macerate 15–30 minutes until juices release. For a smoother texture, pulse the mixture in a blender or food processor to a coarse purée, leaving some small fruit pieces for texture. Chill while you make the custard.

Make custard

In a saucepan warm 3/4 cup whole milk and 1.5 cups heavy cream with 1/8 tsp salt until hot but not boiling. In a bowl whisk 3 egg yolks. Temper yolks by slowly whisking in about 3/4 cup of the warm milk mixture, then pour tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C).

Combine with strawberries and chill

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Strain custard into a bowl, then stir in the chilled strawberry purée. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight until completely chilled.

Churn and freeze

Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions until soft-set. Transfer to a container and freeze at least 4 hours until firm. If you prefer visible strawberry ribbons, reserve 1/4 cup of the purée and ripple it into the churned ice cream before final freezing.

Spoon scoops of chocolate, honeycomb and strawberry ice creams onto plates or bowls. Sprinkle with crumbled buttery shortbread and scatter a few larger shortbread pieces for bite. Garnish chocolate with grated chocolate, strawberry scoops with extra sliced strawberries, and honeycomb ice cream with reserved honeycomb shards. Serve immediately.