Description
Indulge in the creamy goodness of homemade Japanese Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream. Learn how to make this delightful treat on our cooking website today!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar (300 g)
- 3/4 tsp (4 ml) kosher salt
- 5 tbsp matcha (green tea powder) (30 g)
- 3 cups (720 ml) milk mixture (pick one option below)
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk (560 ml)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (180 ml)
- 3 cups half-and-half (720 ml)
- 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (480 ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups light cream or coffee cream (360 ml)
Instructions
- If you need to pre-chill your ice cream maker’s bowl, ensure it’s frozen for a full day before starting. If it’s too warm, the mixture won’t solidify even after half an hour of mixing. I use an ice cream maker that skips the pre-freezing step. For those without an ice cream maker, hopefully, these instructions are helpful.
- Before beginning, remember this process involves over eight hours of cooling, mixing, and freezing. Collect all your ingredients.
- In a medium pot, pour in the ingredients for the milk mixture and set the heat to medium-low. I prefer option 1, which uses whole milk and heavy cream. Alternatively, choose option 2 with half-and-half, option 3 with reduced-fat milk and heavy cream, or option 4 with whole milk and light cream or coffee cream.
- Incorporate sugar and kosher salt into the milk mixture, stirring until the sugar dissolves. If small bubbles appear at the edges, remove the pot from the heat immediately to avoid boiling.
- Create a matcha paste. Add matcha powder to a medium bowl, then stir in a few tablespoons of the warmed milk mixture until smooth and lump-free. Matcha is fine and won’t dissolve well if added all at once, so make a paste first, gradually adding liquid to avoid lumps. Ensure the paste is smooth before adding more liquid.
- Add a few more tablespoons of the milk mixture to the paste, stirring until absorbed.
- Repeat with another few tablespoons of the milk mixture, mixing until the paste thickens. Work out any dry lumps.
- Add more tablespoons of the milk mixture, stirring to further smooth the paste, removing lumps.
- Finally, add a few more tablespoons of the milk mixture to achieve a thick, smooth liquid. If not smooth, gradually incorporate more milk mixture.
- Pour the matcha paste into the remaining milk mixture, stirring to combine.
- Switch to a whisk for thorough blending. Prepare an ice bath with a bowl that fits inside. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl. Pour the matcha mixture through the sieve.
- Press any lumps through the sieve. Let the mixture cool on the counter. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours. Proper chilling is crucial for achieving the right ice cream texture.
- My ice cream maker doesn’t need pre-freezing but should run for 15 minutes to reach the required temperature. Once ready, whisk the matcha mixture again.
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for churning.
- After 25 minutes, when the mixture is thick and still, switch off the ice cream maker.
- Transfer the soft ice cream into a sealed container and freeze until firm, at least four hours, for flavor development.
- Serve the ice cream in small bowls.
- Store in the freezer for up to two weeks, enjoying sooner to maintain flavor and color while preventing ice crystal formation.
Notes
- Use a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a smooth matcha mixture for a creamy ice cream texture.
- Properly chill the matcha mixture for at least four hours before churning for the best consistency.
- Experiment with different milk mixtures to customize the flavor and richness of your matcha ice cream.
