Vanilla Ice Cream and a Little Hokey Pokey

With only a few days to go before the start of our holiday, there sat a full liter of whipping cream in my fridge.  I had promised to make Ike some ice cream over the weekend and things just got a little too hectic.  So rather than have to throw it out, I stayed up one night making the custard base.  Deciding on a flavour of ice cream to make is always very difficult for me.  Do you try something new and take a chance that you won't like it??  Or do you go with what you know??  Having an over abundance of vanilla beans in my cupboard prompted me to make vanilla.  It sort of goes with everything.....and I really wanted to try some Hokey Pokey ice cream.  I grew up eating Hokey Pokey by another name.  We called it Sponge Toffee and I've also heard it called Sea Foam.  What ever you call it......it is yummy and it is a candy that I make every now and again......and especially around Christmas when I need something quick to bring along as an unexpected gift.  It is a candy that not a lot of people make any more......at least not in North America......but it's dead easy, so if you want to give it a try you can find the recipe right here.  I've always read that the crumbs could be saved to put on ice cream....but I've never tried it.  I figured it was about time I did.  Because.......Did you know that it ranks as New Zealand's second most popular flavour of ice cream???  How is that I've never tried it then???  Well now I have.....and the verdict.......it's pretty yummy!  I've you'd like to try it too........and they don't sell that flavour in your part of the world......the you might just have to make it yourself.  Make your favourite vanilla ice cream and stir in Hokey Pokey crumbs at the end of the ice cream making process....before you stick it in the freezer to firm up.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Hokey Pokey (makes 2 quarts or 2 liters)

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 cups half and half cream
1 vanilla bean
1 cup  crushed hokey pokey (see recipe here)

Put first 6 ingredients into a heavy bottomed pot and heat on medium heat whisking constantly until mixture begins to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove vanilla bean, slit it open, and scrape out seeds to add back to the custard.  Put custard in fridge to chill completely.  Once chilled add to your ice cream maker and follow its directions.  Add 1 cup crushed hokey pokey to ice cream (it will be the consistency of soft ice cream at this point)   and stir in before setting churned ice cream into the freezer to firm up.