Ingredients

• vegetable oil
• for greasing
• 400g/14oz caster sugar
• 110ml/4fl oz clear honey
• 2 tbsp liquid glucose (available from the baking section of most supermarkets)
• 110ml/4fl oz water
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 3 free-range eggs
• separated
• 110ml/4fl oz cold espresso coffee
• 150g/5oz caster sugar
• 450ml/16fl oz double cream
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 40g/1½oz caster sugar
• 150ml/5fl oz milk
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• split
• 75g/3oz plain chocolate
• chopped
• 25g/1oz roasted espresso coffee beans

Directions

• For the honeycomb
• line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and grease with vegetable oil.
• Place the sugar
• honey
• liquid glucose and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue to cook until the temperature reaches 160C/320F on a sugar thermometer
• taking care as sugar at this temperature can be very dangerous.
• Remove from the heat and quickly beat in the bicarbonate of soda with a wooden spoon
• stirring constantly.
• Pour the mixture onto the lined baking tray. Set aside until hard and then break into pieces using your hands.
• For the parfait
• place the egg yolks
• coffee and half of the sugar into a small frying pan and whisk to combine.
• Place over a low heat and cook gently
• stirring occasionally
• for about ten minutes
• or until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the heat and pour through a metal sieve into a mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture cools and is light and fluffy. Set aside.
• In a clean mixing bowl
• whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Fold in the remaining sugar to make a raw meringue mixture.
• Whisk the meringue mixture into the set-aside coffee mixture.
• Place the cream into a separate bowl. Whip the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Fold the cream into the coffee mixture.
• Line a rectangular loaf tin with cling film. Pour half of the parfait mixture into the tin.
• Place pieces of the honeycomb on top of the parfait to cover. Pour the remainder of the parfait over the honeycomb.
• Tap to settle and cover with cling film. Place in the freezer for two hours until frozen just solid.
• For the custard
• place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until well blended.
• Place the milk and cream into a saucepan.
• Using a sharp knife
• scrape out the seeds of the vanilla pod and add to the milk mixture. Bring to the boil.
• Pour the hot milk and cream onto the eggs
• whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently
• stirring occasionally
• until the mixture thickens. Keep warm.
• For the chocolate-coated coffee beans
• line a tray with greaseproof paper. Place the chocolate into a bowl and place over a pan of boiling water until melted.
• Add the coffee beans to the chocolate and stir to coat. Pour into the lined tray and allow to cool. Break into pieces when cool.
• To serve
• remove the parfait from the freezer 20 minutes before serving. Cut 2cm/¾ slices of the parfait and place onto the centre of each serving plate. Spoon the custard around the edge and scatter over the chocolate coated coffee beans.