Matcha ice cream
A creamy green tea indulgence.
Instructions
In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and half the sugar. Heat until steaming but not boiling.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and salt.
Slowly whisk some of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper them.
Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 170–175°F and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat. Sift in the matcha powder and whisk until completely smooth.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Chill thoroughly for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.
Freeze for 2–4 hours before serving.
Notes
Use culinary-grade matcha for the strongest flavor and color. For a more intense matcha ice cream, increase the matcha to 3 tablespoons.
Variations
To make a hōjicha ice cream, substitute the matcha powder with 3 tablespoons of hōjicha powder.
Hōjicha is a Japanese tea made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperature, which gives it a reddish-brown color and toasted, nutty aroma.