Strawberry & Honeycomb Ice Cream
Lokelani creates beautiful flavored ice cream that sparks emotion and imagination, and she uses her craft to educate about the history of African American cooking. Her most cherished ingredient is nostalgia. Alabanza has been amassing old cookbooks for as long as she can remember. The books form her professional roadmap, each dog-eared page and underlined word an insight into a cook’s soul. Loke is the owner and chief ice cream maker of Saturated, a company she launched during the pandemic. She is working on her first cookbook to be released in 2025.
This recipe is featured in The Magic of Ice Cream
That moment when food nostalgia awakens a sense. It’s truly incredible.
Strawberries are the ultimate sweet taste of summer. And the taste evokes memories of summers past. The most fascinating part of ice cream is how it makes others feel. You cannot buy that. I love invoking the beautiful memories that come with ice cream. It means so much when people say, ‘This [flavor] reminds me of something.”
- Servings Serves 4 -6
Ingredients
For the honeycomb candy:
- 198 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 59 ml (¼ cup) light corn syrup
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) baking soda
For the ice cream:
- 473 ml (2 cups) whole milk
- 355 ml (1 ½ cups) heavy cream
- 147 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 7.5 ml (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 177 ml (¾ cup) strawberry preserves
- 118 ml (½ cup) honeycomb candy, broken into small pieces
Preparation
- For the honeycomb candy: Prepare a half baking sheet (46 x 33 cm/18 x 13 inches) with a silicone baking mat.
2. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 59 ml (¼ cup) water, and attach a candy thermometor so it is submerged in the mixture without touching the bottom. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to 149°C (300°F). The mixture will start to bubble and slightly caramelize. Quickly stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam and start to grow and caramelize. Pull the pot off the heat and carefully pour the mixture onto the silicone mat.
3. Let the honeycomb cool completely before breaking into pieces to use for the ice cream base.
4. For the ice cream: Crack the egg yolks into a medium stainless steel bowl and set aside.
5. Prepare an ice bath and place a stainless steel or glass bowl over the ice.
6. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream and sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. When the sugar has dissolved, temper the milk by whisking a small amount into the egg yolks. When the mixture comes together, add it back to the saucepan. Reduce the heat down to low and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, making sure the mixture doesn’t curdle.
7. Bring the mixture to 71°C (160°F), and strain the mixture into the bowl. Cool the mixture to 4°C (39.2F ). Let the mixture chill in the fridge overnight.
8. Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the strawberry preserves. Spin the mixture until it looks thick, 20-25 minutes. Add the honeycomb, spin until combined. Scoop the ice cream into an ice cream container. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Lokelani Alabanza
Lokelani Alabanza’s professional culinary journey started in the United States, at the New England Culinary Institute. From there, her love of food has taken her around the world. From her first kitchen job in Denmark to her time working as a private chef in Japan, her travels have expanded her palate and refined her ability to create incredible food. As she shares, “My story is wild. I always say ice cream found me and we became best friends.”
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