Green Tea Ice Cream

makes 1 quart

recipe slightly adapted from The Kitchn Cookbook

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons matcha tea powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar

In a large metal mixing bowl, prepare an ice bath and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, matcha tea powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the cream and the remaining milk with the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, and then gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return the pot to a boil and cook the mixture over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. 

Pour just enough of the hot cream and milk over the cream cheese mixture to cover it. Stir until the mixture is thick, silky and uniformly green. Gradually add the remaining hot milk and cream. 

Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has cooled off, about 20 minutes. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream will not be completely hard.  To finish freezing, scoop the ice cream into a lidded container, cover and allow to harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving. Ice cream will keep up to a week in the freezer if sealed properly.