Homemade Honey Ice Cream

I knew that would get your attention! Who doesn't love ice cream?  Especially homemade ice cream made with only half and half, heavy cream, farm fresh eggs and delicious raw honey!  No one that I know :)

For Mother's Day this past year, my son Mike and his lovely wife Katie (author of the fab cooking blog thegdkitchen.blogspot.com) gave me three very different jars of wonderful honey they bought on a trip to Savannah, Georgia.  I love locally made honey and they know that.  That's what made this gift so special.
 

I've been using the honey in the usual ways:  in my oatmeal for breakfast, in salad dressings, in yogurt with berries.  But I've been trying to think of a way to showcase the honey for the delicious flavor it has on its own.

Recently, I was reading the latest Taste San Antonio magazine and there was an article on locally made honey, showcasing a recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream.  Suddenly a light bulb went off...I would use the honey Mike and Katie gave me to make ice cream!  I decided to use the Sourwood honey in this recipe.  Yummy!

You need an ice cream maker for this one, but in my humble opinion, every well stocked kitchen should have one :)

Sourwood Honey Ice Cream
1 cup half and half
2 cups heavy cream
7 egg yolks
3/4 cup sourwood honey (or any locally produced honey that you like)

Combine the half and half and cream in a heavy saucepan; heat to just below boiling and remove from the stovetop and let cool slightly.

 
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in a bowl until frothy.

Whisking continuously, slowly pour half of the cream mixture into the egg yolks.  Pour that mixture back into the saucepan and heat on low, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes.  (This was impossible to photograph as I needed to work quickly and needed both hands!) When the mixture coats the back of a spoon, it's done.

 Pour the mixture through a fine meshed sieve into a bowl and whisk in the honey.

Chill thoroughly, ideally overnight.  I place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the custard.  This prevents a film from forming.

After chilling, freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's direction.

Pour into nonreactive container and freeze until firm

I served it over a Chocolate Amaretti Cake...delicous!

 
But it's also fabulous on its own!

 Should make 4-5 servings...maybe :-)

Buon Appetito!