The First Ice Cream Post…Thai Tea Ice Cream

I love Thai food. The last time I went out for Thai I came up with the idea of trying to make a Thai Tea ice cream.   Tea is a versatile, playful ingredient that is easy to use in ice cream because it can provide a lot of flavor and brewed right in the milk.

Thai Tea is a black tea mixed with a variety of spices, which can include orange blossom water, star anise, and ground tamarind seed (or red and yellow food coloring), hence the orange color.  Typically the tea is sweetened and served cold.  Evaporated milk or coconut milk can be poured over the tea before served to make it taste creamier.  I thought this tea would be make a great, creamy ice cream!

Here is the recipe.  It uses an egg-free base and the tea leaves are steeped in the hot milk.  Be careful not to brew the tea for too long!  It is already pretty strong.

Thai Tea Ice Cream
Adapted from ice cream base recipe by Jeni Britton Bauer
Makes 1 quart

0.75 oz Thai Tea leaves
2 cups whole milk
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1 ½ oz. cream cheese, softened (3 Tbsp.)
2/3 cup cane sugar
1/8 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp kosher salt

Fill a large bowl with ice water.  In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp of the milk with the cornstarch.  In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.

Combine the remaining milk with heavy cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan.  Bring milk mixture to a boil.  Add tea leaves and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened (draw a line on a spoon), about 1 minute.  Quickly strain milk using a sieve to remove most tea leaves.  Use a French press to remove remaining tea leaves.

Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in salt.  Pour mixture into a gallon bag and seal tightly.  Set baggie in the ice water bath, cover with some ice, and let stand, until cold, about 20 minutes or longer (the longer you let it sit the better; make sure its COLD).

Once chilled, pour ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.  Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and close with an airtight lid.  Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.