Matcha Ice Cream
Matcha ice cream is a delicious dessert made with matcha powder, a finely ground green tea that is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha powder is packed with antioxidants and nutrients, making it a great addition to any diet. The antioxidants in matcha help to protect the body from free radicals, which can cause cell damage and lead to diseases like cancer. Additionally, matcha contains caffeine and L-theanine, which can help to boost energy and improve focus. Matcha ice cream has a unique flavor that is earthy and slightly bitter. This flavor comes from the matcha powder, which is made from shade-grown tea leaves. The leaves are carefully ground into a fine powder, which is then used to make the ice cream. The texture of matcha ice cream is also unique, as it tends to be creamier and smoother than other types of ice cream.
To make matcha ice cream at home, you will need matcha powder, heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and egg yolks. First, combine matcha powder, milk, heavy cream and sugar. Next, heat the mixture in a saucepan until it starts to simmer. Slowly pour half of the mixture into the egg yolks mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool mixture until cold and churn ice cream to ice cream machine's specifications.
Servings: 1 quart of ice cream
Total Recipe time: 5 hours
Freeze Ice Cream Barrel time: 24 hours
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ice Cream churn time: 20-25 minutes
Freezer Rest time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
1.5 cups whole milk
1.5 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 tbsp matcha powder (loosely packed)
Tools:
Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Fine mesh sieve
Medium size pot/saucepan
Freezer Bowl Prep:
If using an ice cream maker that requires freezing before use, freeze ice cream barrel 24 hours before use.
Method:
Measure out all ingredients in their own dishes and separate egg yolks from egg whites.
In a medium size bowl, pour 3 tbsps of milk into matcha powder and mix with a spatula (scraping the mixture along the sides of the bowl to get rid of clumps) until a smooth paste forms. Gradually add more milk while mixing until mixture is fully incorporated and smooth. Mix in heavy cream and sugar.
Heat up ice cream mixture: In a medium saucepan or pot on medium low heat, pour in ice cream mixture and whisk until mixture reaches 130-140°F/ 54-60°C.
Tip: Do not let mixture heat past 170°F/76°C as this will burn and alter the color and taste of the matcha powder.
Tempering the egg yolks: In a medium bowl with the egg yolks, slowly pour a few tbsps of the warm ice cream mixture at a time into the egg yolks while whisking the mixture until half of the ice cream mixture is incorporated.
Tip: This step helps bring the egg yolks up in temperature so they do not turn into scrambled eggs while cooking.
Reheat Ice cream mixture: Slowly pour egg yolk ice cream mixture back into the medium saucepan with the rest of custard mixture on medium low heat while whisking quickly until custard reaches 165°F/74°C. Once custard has thicken and can coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat.
Tip: Heating the custard mixture up to 165°F pasteurizes the egg yolks so they are safe for consumption and also helps stabilize or emulsify the fat and liquid so the resulting product is smooth and creamy.
Strain and cool: Prepare large ice bath bowl and a medium size bowl to sit inside the ice bath. Pour custard mixture into a fine mesh sieve into the medium size bowl that is sitting over the ice bath. Let custard cool down to 40-50°F/4-10°C.
Churn ice cream: Pour custard into ice cream machine and churn ice cream to machine's instructions.
Chill Ice Cream: Scoop ice cream into a container and freeze for an additional 2-4 hours to firm up before serving.
