Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe

Green tea ice cream is a very popular ice cream flavor in Japan and other parts of East Asia. Matcha (pronounced MA-cha) is bright green in color and is made by finely grinding a very high quality tea called Gyokuro (pronounced gil-KUR-oh). Matcha has been around since the 12th century as a part of the Japanese Tea Ceremony otherwise called (chado or “The Way of Tea”).

How to Make Green Tea Ice Cream

The following green tea ice cream recipe makes about 1 quart of matcha green tea ice cream, best used within one week.

Active preparation time: 30 minutes
Total start to finish: 5 hours (with freezing)
 
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (or 1 cup Half n’ Half for creamier consistency)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Matcha (powdered Japanese green tea)
Special equipment: an ice cream maker

 
Preparation

• Bring cream, milk, and salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk together eggs, sugar, and Matcha in a bowl (tea will not be completely dissolved), then add 1 cup hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking vigorously.
• Whisk custard into remaining cream mixture in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil).
• Immediately pour custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl, cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Read more about green tea or view all Teavana green teas.