Textual Chef Textual Chef

Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

A smooth, creamy ice cream infused with the distinct flavor of Japanese matcha powder. This elegant dessert balances subtle bitterness with gentle sweetness for a sophisticated frozen treat that showcases one of Japan's most iconic flavors.

35 minMediumServes 8270 cal/serving

JapaneseDessertStovetopVegetarianLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp matcha green tea powder (ceremonial grade), sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk, half of the 2/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steam begins to rise but the mixture is not boiling.

  2. 2

    While the cream mixture is warming, in a separate bowl, whisk together the 6 large egg yolks with the remaining granulated sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened.

  3. 3

    In another small bowl, sift the 2 tbsp sifted matcha green tea powder (ceremonial grade) to remove any lumps. Add a few tablespoons of the warm cream mixture to the matcha and whisk until smooth to create a paste.

  4. 4

    Once the cream mixture is hot (but not boiling), slowly pour about 1 cup of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling.

  5. 5

    Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly.

  6. 6

    Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (about 170-175°F on an instant-read thermometer).

  7. 7

    Remove from heat and add the matcha paste, whisking until fully incorporated and smooth. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir to combine.

  8. 8

    Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any potential lumps or cooked egg bits.

  9. 9

    Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally until the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.

  10. 10

    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled.

  11. 11

    Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, typically 20-25 minutes.

  12. 12

    Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming.

  13. 13

    Freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm enough to scoop.

  14. 14

    For best flavor and texture, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Japanese Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How long does Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream take?

As written, 35 minutes: 20 of prep and 15 of cooking. The longest single stretch is the hands-off wait in step 10, overnight, or about 8 hours. That wait sits outside the stated prep and cook times, so plan around it.

What internal temperature should Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream reach?

For Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream, the target internal temperature is 175 F (about 80 C), given in step 6. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Why does Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream have me temper the eggs?

Eggs scramble if they meet a hot liquid all at once. Step 4 warms them gradually with a little of the hot mixture first, so they thicken the sauce or custard smoothly instead of curdling.

What equipment do I need for Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream?

Beyond a knife and a board, the method uses a probe thermometer (step 6), a fine-mesh sieve (step 8) and parchment paper (step 12).

Can I make Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream is 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk. Swap the cream for full-fat coconut milk or an oat cooking cream; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How many calories are in Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream?

One serving (the recipe makes 8) is about 270 calories, with 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 18 g fat, plus 60 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.