Honey Hazelnut Ice Cream

Super-creamy, super-decadent. You won't be chowing down on massive bowls of this tasty treat. But that's okay, because it's wonderfully tasty and you won't want to pig out.

• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup cream (at least 15%, 30%+ recommended)
• ¾ cup honey (clover, or something suitably fragrant)
• 1 cup raw hazelnuts
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer. Cut the vanilla bean open lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add the seeds and the empty pod into the saucepan. Simmer for about 10 minutes, but make sure this does not come to a boil. Then remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes to let the vanilla infuse.

While the milk/cream/vanilla is standing, whisk the honey and the egg yolks until fully blended. (You'll find this goes much more easily than with yolks and granulated sugar.)

After 15 minutes, remove the pods from the milk, and bring the milk back to a simmer. Once at simmer, you'll need to temper the yolk/honey mixture. Add a small amount of the milk to the yolks, whisking constantly. Repeat until about half of the milk has been added to the yolks -- they should be fairly liquid. Put the entire yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook the mixture until it's thickened. It should a spoon dipped into it.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge (if you go right into the fridge, you may end up with water condensation). Make sure the mixture cools completely before you put it into your ice cream maker. You can make this the day before, and cool overnight.

While it's cooling, put your hazelnuts on a baking sheet (with a rim, so they don't spill) and place into a 350F/175C oven. Toast them until you can smell hazelnuts with the oven door closed.

If the nuts still have their husks, place them on a clean towel and rub them together to remove the husks.

Chop finely in your favourite food processor.

When chilled, pour the cream mixture into your ice cream maker. Following your maker's instructions, let the ice cream churn until it's nearly finished. Add the nuts at the end. Your ice cream will thicken quickly.