Green tea ice cream

When I was exploring around Japan, I had an authentic, and interesting food journey there. Although it was on a tour, and there were set menus, the food was still pretty darn good. I loved the miso soup, the tempura, green tea Kit Kat (I am dying to find some in Melbourne!) and all these interesting foods.I even had a 'cherry-blossom' flavour ice cream.

I would go back to Japan in a heartbeat. There's something about the politeness of the Japanese that makes me feel welcome. And also how it is a seriously cool country (music and warm seat options for a toilet?!?!) But anyway, back on to green tea ice cream. I made this recipe by David Lebovitz last year for Christmas, and while I liked it, I felt that it was a bit too rich and creamy for my liking for green tea ice cream. I recently went to eat at Takumi in the city, and I ate some magical green tea ice cream (pictures later), that had the perfect consistency of it being not too creamy, but not too icy either. And the green tea flavour was just the spot. 

This definitely hit the spot for green tea, but I used about 3 and a half-4 tablespoons of matcha powder, instead of 3. What I got was an intensely flavoured green tea ice cream, with some smoothness ,yet a bit of iciness. This recipe is absolute perfection, and will be using it more often in the future.

Another great recipe from Nami from One Cookbook! I made her Japanese cheesecake, and that turned out well. The cup that goes with this is a bit ridiculous, but hey it's St Patrick's day isn't it?

This is the highlight of my Sunday night :)
 

Green tea ice cream
Adapted from One cookbook 

Ingredients
2 cups half and half, or 1 whole milk and 1 cup cream *
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp natural green tea powder (matcha powder) *
Pinch of salt

* I used 2% fat milk, since that's what I had on hand. It turned out fine.
* I increased to about 4 tbsp of green tea powder.

Instructions:
1. Freeze the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours.
2. In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the milk and cream or half and half, green tea powder, sugar and salt.
3. Heat the mixture, stirring often, until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled.
4. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. When it's cooled down, refrigerate hte mixture until completely chilled.
5. Churn for another 20-25 minutes in ice cream maker, or according to manufacture's instruction.
6. Transfer the mixture into a container and freeze for at least 3 hours.