Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

I held off on buying matcha for months because I couldn’t fathom the idea of paying $10 for only a 2 oz. container of powder.  However, after much research and comparing prices in several supermarkets, I finally ordered some from Nuts.com.  Even though I hate paying for shipping, Nuts.com had the best price and my matcha arrived in two days! I even received a small sample of trail mix.  I justified my purchase by reassuring myself that matcha is a healthy source of caffeine, full of antioxidants, and has anti-aging properties.

Be careful when buying matcha, because sometimes the powder can include fillers like sugar and powdered creamers.  Make sure the package says 100% matcha and if the price is too good to be true, it probably is.One of the reasons why matcha comes in small containers is because it is highly sensitive to air and light.  Once opened, it typically lasts only a month or two.  After that, the bright green color begins to turn dark and the powder losses it’s antioxidant properties.  I’ve been trying to use up my 8 oz. package by making green tea lattes everyday.

Matcha is a little pricey because it is a highly concentrated form of green tea.  One glass of matcha is equivalent to 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content!  Wowerz!  In my opinion, the taste and benefits of matcha are worth the price.

After seeing a tub of green tea ice cream going for $8 at the supermarket, I decided to make my own.  This recipe requires only a few ingredients and you can enjoy homemade green tea ice cream in just a few hours!

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup whipped heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tb matcha green tea powder
3 tb hot water

1. Mix hot water and green tea powder together and set aside.  Make sure there are no lumps.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Stir in milk and transfer to a saucepan.
3. Heat the mixture on low heat until thickened, stirring constantly.  Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside to cool.  Stir the green tea mixture into the pan.  Soak the bottom of the pan in ice water to speed up the process.
4. Add whipped heavy cream in the mixture and stir gently. Pour the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Yields 1.5 quarts of ice cream.

Note:  You do not have to whip the heavy cream if you want dense, gelato like ice cream.