These days, the ubiquitous honey bear may not cause us to stop and give thanks.
Sure, it may sweeten our tea or Greek yogurt, but that pales in comparison to the reaction the golden nectar may have inspired in the hearts of ancient peoples when sweetness of this magnitude was incredibly rare. Imagine how wide their eyes opened at just one drop of the intense syrup on their tongues, especially after risking the stingers of angry bees protecting their hives!
Perhaps the best indication of honey’s lofty position in the ancient world is its significance in religion. Hindus consider it an elixir of immortality. Buddha is said to have been fed honey by a monkey on one of his forest retreats. And the god of the Bible describes the promised land to Moses as one of free-flowing milk and honey, a symbol of both abundance and completion.
It is for this reason that at this time of year, Jews commemorate the new year (by the Jewish calendar) by nibbling on apples dipped in honey.
While the honey contained in that little plastic bear is perfectly fine for your morning cup of tea, might I suggest you seek out some good old fashioned raw honey for this Rosh Hashanah-themed ice cream? The former is an amalgam of myriad nectars that are boiled down to a uniform flavor and sweetness. But raw honey tells a story of what one particular colony of bees may have feasted on, from orange blossoms to cactus flowers, buckwheat to clover.
These dynamic honeys are complex in flavor, perfect when making something as simple as a honeycomb candy ice cream. They have the power to transport us back to the days when squeezing a dollop of honey on your tongue was an act of pure luxury and gratitude.
APPLES AND HONEYCOMB ICE CREAM
Start to finish: 5 hours (1 hour active), plus freezing
Servings: 6
For the custard:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons skim milk powder
2/3 cup sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For the honeycomb candy:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
For the apples:
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup raw honey
Splash of bourbon (optional)
Pinch of salt
Nutrition information per serving: 650 calories; 320 calories from fat (49 percent of total calories); 36 g fat (21 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 300 mg cholesterol; 540 mg sodium; 86 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 82 g sugar; 7 g protein.
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