MATCHA ICE CREAM

Matcha, cream, and sugar, transformed into frozen deliciousness. A delicate and sophisticated, sweet yet slightly bitter ice cream, rich in earthy and umami flavour.

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Matcha ice cream is a popular dessert in Japan and East Asia. It has a delicate and sophisticated taste: sweet, with a hint of bitterness, and full of herbal and umami flavour. It's often served with Tsubuan, a sweet paste made from red Adzuki beans, and the combination is delightful and intriguing.

Matcha is a fine powder ground from unfermented, steamed, and dried green tea leaves. In its highest quality, it is used for Japanese tea ceremonies. It imparts a strong, earthy, and umami taste with a hint of bitterness, perfectly balancing the rich and sweet cream.

The characteristic green colour and umami taste of Matcha result from the tea leaves being grown in the shade or covered during the last weeks before harvest, depriving them of light. This shaded growth boosts an increased production of chloroplasts, giving the leaves their vibrant green colour, as well as amino acids, contributing to the distinct umami flavour.

Matcha can be bought in Japanese supermarkets, tea shops, and health food stores, and it's also available as baking-grade powder. It comes in different qualities, and while high-quality powder is more costly, its taste makes up for it. I recommend purchasing the best you are willing to invest in.

The recipe calls for three tablespoons of Matcha, which is a lot, but it really brings out the green tea flavour and its lovely subtle bitterness. A generous pinch of salt intensifies the flavours and aromas.

The recipe requires just a few ingredients and is very easy to make. The ingredients are combined, then the mix is left to chill, and finally churned.

Matcha ice cream is perfect for making BOOZY MATCHA ICE CREAM AFFOGATO. If you have any leftover Matcha, try also: MATCHA SHORTBREAD BISCUITS, or MATCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE.

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RECIPE

MATCHA ICE CREAM

Matcha, cream, and sugar, transformed into frozen deliciousness. A delicate and sophisticated, sweet yet slightly bitter, earthy ice cream, rich in umami flavour.

INGREDIENTS: 

Makes 4 Portions: 

• 500 ml cream with 12-18% fat content (I used 250 ml full-fat cream and 250 ml full-fat milk)

• 110g caster sugar

• 3 tablespoons Matcha powder

• Generous pinch of salt

  
  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Gather all the ingredients.

   
   

2. Combine the ingredients: Put the cream, Matcha powder, sugar, and salt into a saucepan and whisk vigorously with a hand whisk until the ingredients are completely dissolved in the cream.

   
   

3. Bring mixture to a boil: Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking continuously until it starts to foam, then take it off the heat.

   
   

4. Chill: Pour the mixture into a large bowl and place the bowl into cold water to cool it down. Once cooled, transfer it to the fridge to allow it to chill for approximately 2 to 3 hours.

   
   

5. Churn: Pour the chilled mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn following the ice cream maker instructions. (Or churn by hand: pour the mixture into a container and place it in the freezer. Remove and stir every 20 to 30 minutes for the next 2 to 3 hours to prevent large crystals from forming, keeping the ice cream smooth and creamy.)

   
   

6. Freeze: Once thick and creamy, transfer the ice-cream in a container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze it for a minimum of three hours before serving.

   
   

7. Serve: Take the ice cream out of the freezer and place it into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, so that it is easier to scoop.

   
   

   Enjoy as dessert after a Japanese-style meal or Sushi, or use it to make BOOZY MATCHA ICE CREAM AFFOGATO.