Hokey Pokey Ice Cream: A Perfect Recipe for Summers

New Zealand, a small island country, is renowned for its breathtaking sceneries, clear waters, indigenous culture and its signature Hokey Pokey ice cream. It is an renowned recipe among the locals and one to be found in every ice cream shop in New Zealand. This wonderful flavour takes a unique approach to the otherwise boring vanilla ice cream. Simple yet rich, this is surely one to die for. Now, the ice cream recipe is especially famous in Australia and other nations as well. There are some highly renowned ice cream shops, in Adelaide particularly, offering this mouthwatering dessert.

This article discusses everything you should know about this delightful dessert. From its intricate history to the ingredients that go into it, and the step-by-step instructions, this piece of writing will cover all.

Without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.

What is Hokey Pokey Ice Cream?

Hokey Pokey starts off with a classic vanilla ice cream base. The honeycomb toffee is later incorporated into it to give it the signature taste. These bite-sized pieces of the toffee add not only a crunch but also a caramel-like flavour to it. Although the description sounds not so straightforward, this fun and innovative dessert are extremely easy to make. Once you give it a try, it is guaranteed to become a new favourite of yours.

History

Despite there being plenty of theories, nobody knows how this iconic dessert was invented. Some believe that this term was once used for all the ice cream flavours, particularly ones sold by street vendors. Then after some time, Kiwis started using this name specifically for the honeycomb toffee, forgetting that it isn’t ice cream.

Several people claim to be the inventors of Hokey Pokey ice cream, but the most accurate one comes from the dessert legend Brian Simons. Inspired by American flavours, he was the one who started sprinkling the honeycomb from broken Crunchie bars onto vanilla ice cream, giving birth to the most beloved treat in New Zealand.

Ice Cream Recipe

There are two basic components of the Hokey Pokey recipe – the vanilla ice cream itself and the honeycomb toffee.

Homemade Honeycomb Toffee

Making honeycomb toffee at home for Hokey Pokey ice cream is not complicated at all. It is quick and easy, and everyone can make it at home.

•     Course: Dessert
•     Prep time: 10 mins
•     Cook time 15-20 mins
•     Cuisine: New Zealand

Ingredients

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1.   Start by lining your baking sheet with parchment paper and keeping it close to the stove. That makes it easier to pour the hot mixture before it cools.
2.   Pour your golden syrup and caster sugar into a medium saucepan.
3.   Turn on the heat to medium flame and occasionally stir until all the sugar has melted. Stirring will help prevent the mixture from burning. It will take 5 minutes for all the sugar to melt completely.
4.   Next, remove it from the heat, add baking soda and whisk immediately. This will cause the mixture to froth up because of the expanding sugar.
5.   Using a spatula, pour this onto the parchment paper and leave it for 30 minutes to firm up.
6.   After it has cooled and hardened, smash it into small pieces. The interior of the toffee will resemble a honeycomb.

Homemade Hokey Pokey Ice cream

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time:25 minutes
• Course: Dessert

Ingredients

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp salt

5 large egg yolks

Instructions

1.   To begin making Hokey Pokey ice cream, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl with the help of a hand blender or a stand mixer. Whisk until everything is mixed well and turns pale yellow. 
2.   Take a large pan and heat milk and cream together over medium to low flames until the mixture simmers.
3.   Once this reaches 160°F, take it off the heat and gradually add it to the bowl with the egg mixture and keep stirring constantly. Pour this again into the saucepan and heat over medium flames. Continue to heat this till 155-160°F while ensuring you mix it continuously. Do not let it boil at all.
4.   As soon as it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat and add vanilla extract.
5.   Strain this mixture using a fine mesh strainer to remove any cluster.
6.   Refrigerate this custard base for at least 2 hours. The longer you allow the base to cool, the creamier the ice cream will be.
7.   Once the custard base is all set, pour it into the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions for about 20-25 minutes.
8.   Just 5 mins before the ice cream is done in the ice cream maker, add in your honeycomb. Make sure that both the components are nicely incorporated.
9.   At last, either serve your delicious and creamy Hokey Pokey ice cream in bowls or cones. Leave some thicker honeycomb bits to sprinkle on top for the extra crunch, and ENJOY!

That is all about making this renowned dessert. Hopefully, the information provided in this article helps you. You can now enjoy the Hokey Pokey ice cream from the comfort of your home. Another fun fact; you don’t have to be a master chef to cook this. Anyone can make this delightful Kiwi treat by following this simple and easy recipe.We suggest you try making this fun and unique dessert at home. To know more about food and culture worldwide, visit our website, The Australia Time.