Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is a classic ice cream in New Zealand for good reason! Easily make this absolutely scrumptious honeycomb ice cream at home today, let me show you how!
Hokey Pokey Ice Cream, along with Chocolatey Afghan Cookies, is a favorite of New Zealanders. This ice cream features bits of crunchy sweet honeycomb toffee in (and on) vanilla ice cream.
You'll experience the perfect combination of textures and flavors when savoring this ice cream. Imagine creamy vanilla ice cream contrasted with the crackle and crunch of sweet honeycomb toffee pieces and you'll understand why Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is such a beloved treat in New Zealand.
Ready to try this magical ice cream yourself? It's easy and fun to make let me show you how!
Please note this recipe has been lovingly adapted from Nigella Lawson's Hokey Pokey Recipe.
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🥘 Ingredients
So here are the ingredients you will need to make this scrumptious Hokey Pokey Ice Cream recipe:
- Caster sugar (aka superfine sugar)
- Baking soda
- Lyle's Golden Syrup
- Sea salt flakes (optional but highly recommended!)
- Vanilla ice cream - choose your favorite for use in this recipe!
If you have never tried Lyle's Golden Syrup then you are in for a treat! This English classic syrup is used for baking, is poured over pancakes, and is an essential ingredient to make honeycomb for Hokey Pokey!
From LylesGoldenSyrup.com: "Also known as light treacle, golden syrup is a thick, translucent, amber-coloured syrup that’s sweeter than sugar and has a gorgeous caramelised and buttery flavour – even though it doesn’t contain any dairy!" I'm sure you will find it irresistible!
Caster sugar is used in this recipe because it is much finer than granulated sugar and will dissolve much more quickly.
The sea salt flakes are optional but I really recommend that you add some to your honeycomb. I personally love the taste of salty/sweet combinations, but adding just a little salt will enhance the flavor of your honeycomb and shouldn't make it taste salty. Give it a try!
🔪 Instructions
Add the caster sugar and Lyle's Golden Syrup to a large saucepan. Mix the sugar and syrup with a spoon. Be sure this is done off the heat.
Now place the pan on medium heat and watch as the sugar and syrup begin to melt. You can tilt the saucepan a bit so that any unmelted sugar joins the melting party, but be sure not to stir.
Let your mixture start to bubble and watch it turn from a light brown to a rich rust color, which should take around 3-4 minutes or so. Be sure to keep a close eye on it so that it doesn't burn.
Once you have achieved the rich rust color you are after, remove the saucepan from the heat and QUICKLY add the baking soda, whisking it in. Delight in the beautiful chemical reaction you are witnessing!
Immediately pour your mixture onto a parchment paper lined tray and quickly sprinkle the flakes of sea salt (if using). Don't spread the mixture or touch it once on the parchment paper. Allow it to cool completely.
While the mixture is cooling, take the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and allow it to soften.
Once the honeycomb has cooled completely, you can break it up by hand or better yet use a mallet and get your frustrations out at the same time.
Now, this recipe makes way more honeycomb than needed for the 2 servings called for in this recipe. So, what I like to do is break up some of it into small pieces for the Hokey Pokey Ice Cream, and also break up some of the honeycomb into large pieces for snacking, or for covering with chocolate!
Add some of the small pieces (be sure to reserve some) of broken honeycomb to the softened vanilla chocolate and mix it together. Place back in your freezer to allow the ice cream to refreeze at least one hour.
And now your hard work is done and it's time to enjoy the anticipation of enjoying your superb honeycomb ice cream!
Suggestions For Serving
When you are ready to serve, place your ice cream in your serving dish and sprinkle on some of the reserved honeycomb, as much as you like!
You could even drizzle a little extra Lyle's Golden Syrup if you like.
Savor the flavor of your mouthwatering New Zealand Hokey Pokey Ice Cream!
FAQ
Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is a New Zealand dessert that features honeycomb toffee in vanilla ice cream!
Don't panic after you make your honeycomb! Your saucepan will look as if it's beyond repair, but all you have to do is soak in hot water for a few minutes and the stuck bits of toffee will dissolve!
This recipe makes a lot more honeycomb than what is needed for 2 servings of Hokey Pokey ice cream. You can simply munch on the extra pieces, or dip them in some chocolate for a completely delightful experience!
1,000 Foods To Eat Project
In conclusion, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I am working my way through the foods listed in this book. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. This Kiwi favorite is food #86 in my project! Please visit the 1,000 Foods To Eat Project page to see some other MUST TRY foods of the world that you may love to try!
Some Other Ice Cream Recipes That You Will Enjoy!
Here are some other great ice cream recipes that you will enjoy:
- Unique and Scrumptious Icelandic Rye Bread Ice Cream!
- Delicious Hatch Green Chile Ice Cream - don't knock it till you try it!
- No Cook Indian Saffron Ice Cream Recipe
Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
Finally, I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food horizons! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.
Cheers!
Grace
New Zealand Hokey Pokey Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- large saucepan use one that is deep as the mixture will bubble up!
- whisk
- tray or large plate to pour the honeycomb mixture onto
- parchment paper to line your tray or plate
- mallet optional, used to break up your honeycomb
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Lyle's Golden Syrup
- ½ cup caster sugar aka superfine sugar
- 1.5 ts baking soda
- ¼ ts sea salt flakes this is optional but highly recommended!
- 14 oz vanilla ice cream softened
Instructions
- Add the caster sugar and Lyle's Golden Syrup to a large saucepan. Mix the sugar and syrup with a spoon. Be sure this is done off the heat.
- Now place the pan on medium heat and watch as the sugar and syrup begin to melt. You can tilt the saucepan a bit so that any unmelted sugar joins the melting party, but be sure not to stir.
- Let your mixture start to bubble and watch it turn from a light brown to a rich rust color, which should take around 3-4 minutes or so. Be sure to keep a close eye on it so that it doesn't burn.
- Once you have achieved the rich rust color you are after, remove the saucepan from the heat and QUICKLY add the baking soda, whisking it in. Delight in the beautiful chemical reaction you are witnessing!
- Immediately pour your mixture onto a parchment paper lined tray and quickly sprinkle the flakes of sea salt (if using). Don't spread the mixture or touch it once on the parchment paper. Allow it to cool completely.
- While the mixture is cooling, take the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and allow it to soften.
- Once the honeycomb has cooled completely, you can break it up by hand or better yet use a mallet and get your frustrations out at the same time. (See notes below).
- Add some of the small pieces (be sure to reserve some) of broken honeycomb to the softened vanilla chocolate and mix it together. Place back in your freezer to allow the ice cream to refreeze at least one hour.
- When you are ready to serve, place your ice cream in your serving dish and sprinkle on some of the reserved honeycomb, as much as you like! Enjoy your Hokey Pokey Ice Cream!!
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