Milk and honey were both among the earliest foods of humankind and the earliest mentioned in the bible. “A land flowing with milk and honey” (Exod.3:8), is an expression describing the agricultural prosperity of the Holy Land.
Honey, miele in Italian, is a natural alternative to refined sugar and comes in thousands of variations. Because honey bees do not stray far from their hives (2-3 miles), honey is by nature a local product. It’s worth the effort to search out local vendors and farmers markets in your area for different flavors. One of my favorites is orange blossom.
Ingredients:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup honey (preferably orange blossom), plus a drizzle for garnish
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ounce chocolate (bittersweet or semisweet), roughly grated, plus more for optional garnish
- Using a metal bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and foamy.
- With a wooden spoon, stir in the honey, 1 cup of the heavy cream and vanilla.
- Bring a pot of water to a simmer and place the bowl over (but, not touching) the water and whisk continuously until it thickens (5-10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
- Whip the remaining cream until it forms stiff peaks and then fold it and the grated chocolate into the honey mixture.
- Spoon into individual dessert bowls or glasses and refrigerate 2-3 hours. To serve, garnish with a drizzle of honey or shaved chocolate.
