by David Lebovitz
from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments
(Ten Speed Press, 2007)
Makes 1 quart
This ice cream is a real winner. It’s a favorite of many of us here at Leite’s Culinaria. Author and food writer David Lebovitz says the green-tea powder, called matcha, has a slightly pungent yet powerful taste, but its color is the real showstopper. It’s a lovely pistachio green. Lebovitz suggests frothing the tea well, as it turn the custard a vivid green color.
Adds Lebovitz: “Matcha is found in tea shops and stores that sell Japanese products, which I’m always looking for an excuse to visit, since they’re great places for poking around.”—David Lebovitz
convert Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks
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Directions
1. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk in the matcha. Set a mesh strainer on top.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.
4. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream, then whisk it vigorously until the custard is frothy to dissolve the matcha. Stir over an ice bath until cool.
5. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Recipe © 2007 by David Lebovitz.. All rights reserved.
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What is the green tea ice cream dusted with, please? (as shown in the photo).
Hi, Luisa, and good question! The book didn’t mention, although we’ve put out a query to the author. In the meantime, allow us to toss out a few potential solutions or just plain out suggestions…we think a sprinkling of matcha powder, finely ground peanuts, even pulverized dried coconut could each be the (quite nice) culprit. Anyone else?
Since I saw “pistachio” green and was thinking crushed nuts, my first guess was finely ground pistachios. However, one of our local Asian stores sells rock sugar and if that was coarsley gound, it would look similar to what is seen in the picture.
The book DOES mention what is dusted on the ice cream. It’s “kinako” powder, which is basically just toasted soybean flour. Quite nice, especially if it’s served with homemade red bean paste on the side!
It’s kinako powder, which is toasted soy bean powder.
Thank you, David. I would have never guessed that!