Chef-tested recipe
Classic Kiwi vanilla custard ice cream folded with crisp pieces of homemade golden-syrup honeycomb
Hokey pokey ice cream is a New Zealand classic: vanilla ice cream scattered with crisp pieces of aerated golden-syrup toffee. Making the custard base and honeycomb separately protects both textures. The honeycomb is folded through only after churning, then the ice cream is frozen until scoopable so some pieces stay crunchy while others dissolve into little caramel ribbons.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- About 1.2 litres, or 8 servings
- Prep Time
- 30 mins
- Cook Time
- 30 mins
- Chilling Time
- 10 hours
- Total Time
- 11 hours
- Cuisine
- New Zealand
- Course
- Frozen dessert
- Cooking Method
- Custard-making, chilling, sugar-cooking, churning, folding, and freezing
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Best Served With
- Best served in chilled bowls or waffle cones with extra hokey pokey shards and no heavy sauce.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Ice-cream machinepaid link
- Medium heavy saucepanpaid link
- Deep heavy saucepanpaid link
- Digital thermometerpaid link
- Fine-mesh sievepaid link
- Heatproof mixing bowlspaid link
- 20 cm square tinpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the vanilla custard ice cream
- Whole milk: 500 ml
- Double cream: 500 ml
- Caster sugarpaid link: 180 g
- Egg yolks: 150 g
- Vanilla bean, splitpaid link: 1
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 2 g
For the hokey pokey honeycomb
- Caster sugarpaid link: 220 g
- Golden syruppaid link: 120 g
- Water: 30 ml
- Bicarbonate of soda, sifted: 10 g
- Unsalted butter, for greasing: 5 g
Preparation Overview
Freeze the ice-cream-machine bowl according to its instructions. Grease and line a deep 20 cm square tin for the honeycomb. Sift the bicarbonate of soda and place it beside the stove before cooking sugar. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds.
Method
Heat the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and pod, and salt until steaming, then remove from the heat.
Whisk the yolks and 180 g sugar until evenly combined.
Temper the yolks gradually with the hot dairy, return everything to the saucepan, and cook while stirring to 82–84°C.
Strain the custard, cool it rapidly over ice, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Combine 220 g sugar, golden syrup, and water in a deep heavy saucepan and heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 150°C.
Remove from the heat, immediately whisk in the sifted bicarbonate of soda, and pour the expanding foam into the prepared tin without spreading.
Cool for 30 minutes until hard, then break into small irregular pieces, reserving several larger shards for serving.
Churn the cold custard according to the ice-cream machine instructions until thick and softly frozen.
Fold in three quarters of the honeycomb pieces quickly, transfer to a freezer container, and scatter the remaining small pieces through the top.
Freeze for at least 5 hours, temper at room temperature for 5 minutes, and serve with reserved honeycomb shards.
Beginner Technique Notes
Hot sugar can cause severe burns. Use a deep pan, keep children away, and never touch or taste the honeycomb until fully cooled.
The mixture expands dramatically when bicarbonate of soda is added; prepare every item before heating the sugar.
Cook egg custard gently and do not exceed 85°C or it may curdle.
Fold honeycomb through quickly because moisture in soft ice cream begins dissolving it.
Tips and Variations
Golden syrup gives the recognisable toffee flavour and helps control crystallisation.
Store unused honeycomb airtight with a food-safe desiccant packet because humidity makes it sticky.
Smaller honeycomb pieces create caramel streaks; larger pieces retain more crunch.
For cleaner texture, add some honeycomb to each bowl at serving instead of folding all of it through.
Serving Ideas
- Scoop into chilled bowls and stand one crisp honeycomb shard upright in each serving. Keep the vanilla base and golden candy pieces clearly visible.
Storage
Store tightly covered in the coldest part of the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Press parchment directly onto the surface to limit ice crystals. Keep extra honeycomb airtight at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains milk and eggs. Golden syrup and bicarbonate of soda contain no major common allergens but should be label-checked. Use a pasteurised custard base for vulnerable diners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hokey pokey?
In New Zealand it refers to aerated honeycomb toffee made with sugar, golden syrup, and bicarbonate of soda.
Why did my honeycomb turn flat?
The sugar may not have reached the correct temperature, the soda was old, or the foam was stirred after pouring.
Can I make it without an ice-cream machine?
A no-churn base is possible, but churned custard gives a more traditional fine texture.
Why does the candy soften in ice cream?
Honeycomb absorbs moisture. Add it after churning and keep some pieces separate for serving.