Creamy Hojicha Ice Cream (Printable)

Creamy custard infused with roasted Japanese green tea delivers nutty, caramel notes in this elegant frozen dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Tea

03 - 3 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 4 hojicha tea bags

→ Egg Mixture

04 - 4 large egg yolks
05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - Pinch of fine sea salt

# How-To:

01 - In a saucepan, combine the milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
02 - Add the hojicha tea to the hot cream mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and steep for 10 minutes to infuse the tea flavor.
03 - Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the tea leaves gently to extract maximum flavor. Return the infused milk to the saucepan.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and sea salt until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.
05 - Slowly pour approximately 1 cup of the warm hojicha mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking and ensure even temperature distribution.
06 - Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hojicha cream, stirring to combine thoroughly.
07 - Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
08 - Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until completely chilled.
09 - Pour the chilled custard mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture reaches soft-serve consistency.
10 - Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight freezer container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve firm scoopable texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Hojicha's toasty, slightly smoky flavor tastes sophisticated but doesn't require any fussy techniques you haven't already mastered.
  • The custard-based method creates a silky texture that melts on your tongue in a way that no shortcut version ever could.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free if you check your tea source, making it easier to serve to guests with dietary needs.
02 -
  • Tempering the yolks is non-negotiable if you want custard instead of scrambled eggs, so add that warm cream slowly and keep whisking like your life depends on it.
  • Hojicha has a delicate flavor that fades if you over-steep it, so ten minutes is the sweet spot, not a minimum.
03 -
  • If loose leaf hojicha isn't available, use two tablespoons of hojicha powder and whisk it directly into the warm milk, then strain through cheesecloth to catch any gritty bits.
  • An instant-read thermometer is your friend when cooking the custard, especially if you're nervous about eggs, because it removes all the guesswork about whether you've hit the safe temperature.
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