Green Tea Ice Cream
Green tea has been my favorite ice cream for as long as I can remember. As early as elementary school, a highlight of a sushi dinner was the bright green bowl waiting at meal's end. "There's always room for ice cream!"
Green tea ice cream is so smooooth, and the tannins temper the sweetness compared to other ice creams. It's an ice cream for when you want to feel grown-up and nuanced, regardless of your age.
- 2 c cream
- 2 c. milk
- 3/4 c sugar
- 1/4 c. matcha
- 1/4 t salt
- 4 eggs
Special equipment: an ice cream maker.
Matcha is a green tea powder, traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, that can be found in specialty tea shops and larger Asian groceries. I acquired a small envelope of matcha at L'Epicier in Ala Moana. The proportions in the ingredient list above will give you a fairly aggressive tea flavor for your ice cream. Reduce the the matcha to as little as two tablespoons for a more delicate approach.
The key to this ice cream is patience. Custard style ice creams use eggs to add richness, and must be cooked very gently to prevent clumping. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat slowly over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. How thick? It will begin to resist the spoon, but still be very liquid. Imagine mixing heavy latex paint-- it shoudl be that thick. Scrape down the sides and bottom as you stir. If you fail to keep the mixture circulating, it will cook unevenly and you'll end up with bits of scrambled egg!
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, especially if a few lumps formed despite your heroic diligence. (I usually get a few small lumps. Shhhh, don't tell.) Cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
[This Is My Blog Burning? entry is on the theme tasteTea hosted by A La Cuisine!].
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Wow Alan - I've never heard of someone making their own Green Tea Ice cream - way cool!
Hi Alan,
Matcha (green tea) ice cream is my favorite. I always have some in the freezer. I normally don't use eggs in my green tea ice cream recipe, but I think I'll try yours just to see how it goes. Thanks for sharing.
When I lived in Seattle, I loved the green tea mochi ice cream I used to buy but no such luck here in Italy. I can barely find Kikkoman. Oh well! I don't have an ice cream maker yet but when I find one this is recipe will be at the top of the list, after finding the matcha of course. Can't wait to try it!
Kirk - I've been wanting to try a green tea ice cream for a long time, and this newest IMBB was just the kick in the tail I needed. When my old neighbors gave me their unwanted ice cream maker, I had no idea how much I would like the thing.
Reid - The eggs just make it richer and smoother. You may find that you prefer the lightness of egg-less versions. I tend to eat very small portions of ice cream in a single sitting (a small scoop), so the extra richness is just right.
Gia - That's the difference between Italy and Hawaii. Here, they sell green tea mochi in every corner store. Okay, maybe there are a few other differences as well...
Aloha, Alan! Ah, green tea ice-cream. One of life's perfect desserts! I must break down, buy myself a maker and try your recipe. There is a green tea soy milk that Kikkoman (I think) makes & I have been contemplating making "ice-cream" from it using a granita-type technique. Even if it doesn't work perfectly it will still be tasty. My only concern is the solids might clump in the freezing process.(?) We shall see, eh? Laurel
Hey Laurel! Ice cream makers can be found for as little as $40-$50. Just make sure you get an electric one. The manual crank makers are charming for their nostalgic value, but you'll hardly ever use it due to the extra time it requires. I've never used a granita machine to know how your soy experiment might turn out.