Creme Brulee with Smoked Milk Gelato and Honeycomb

Line a steel tray with silicone or greaseproof paper. Place aside until needed.

Put all ingredients except the bicarbonate of soda in a pot. Over medium heat, bring to a boil and cook for about 7 minutes.

Once it’s a golden color and about 154°C/309˚F, remove the pot and place it somewhere safe for a minute for the bubbles to subdue.

After a minute, add the bicarbonate of soda to the caramel with a spoon and stir quickly. Don’t use a whisk! It will foam up and start to expand.

When it does this, quickly pour it onto the tray lined with the silicone paper.

Be very careful, as the caramel is extremely hot. Allow it to cool thoroughly, break it into small shards, and store it in an airtight container.

Preheat the oven to 140°C/285˚F. Place the cream, milk, and split vanilla bean in a pot and heat on the stove. Once it has come to a boil, remove it and allow it to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla.

Whisk the yolks and sugar together, pour over the warm cream, and mix gently until combined. Pour the mixture into small brûlée dishes, and then allow them to sit for 5 minutes so that air bubbles can rise to the top. Pop the bubbles with the tip of a paring knife.

Place the crème brûlée dishes in a deep tray lined with a cloth or newspaper on the bottom. This prevents the water from boiling into the brûlée as it cooks and prevents the bottoms of the dishes from getting too hot. Pour hot water from the tap into the tray until it comes halfway up to the dishes.

Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes or until the cream is set. To test this, give it a slight wiggle. If it acts like jelly, it should be done. Remove and chill.

Place the milk in a tray and smoke with either a smoker or by buying a commercial smoke liquid from the Supermarket.

Incorporate the cornflour mixture into the hot milk and stir thoroughly. Return it to a boil while stirring continuously, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

The best way to finish the gelato is in an ice cream machine. If you don’t have one, the next best option is to put it in a bowl and freeze it, whisking every 15 minutes until frozen until frozen.

Coat the top of the brûlée with the reserved sugar. Using a blowtorch, caramelize to a golden brown.

Scoop the gelato into a ball or quenelle shape and place it on the top.

Garnish with broken shards of the honeycomb.