Even Though You Didn't Ask for It...Another Ice Cream Post!

I know I just posted an ice cream recipe. A green tea with lemongrass and mint ice cream, to be exact. Well, I’m doing it again. This time it’s Thai tea with coconut milk. I know, two similar recipes in two weeks. Is that a food blog faux pas? If it is, ya’ll better get used to it. I got me an ice cream maker, and there’s no stopping mama now!

As I was farting around the Internet looking for some ice cream inspiration, I came across this Thai tea ice cream. I would have gotten around to making some kind of Thai tea ice cream eventually, being Thai and all, but after running across it, I got a craving. Eventually became pronto. I was intrigued by the idea of using condensed milk, but I didn’t have any on hand. Instead of doing just straight cream, I used coconut milk. I used the guideline 2 egg yolks/cup dairy, and it worked out beautifully (thanks Mike!). What else can I say about this ice cream? Try it. You'll love it, and if you don't you're just plain crazy.



Thai Tea and Coconut Milk Ice Cream
makes about 2 pints

• 6 egg yolks
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 oz loose Thai tea leaves*(see note) or 5 tea bags

*Note: Loose Thai teas tend to be very fine. It will go right through a strainer, tea infuser or even 5 layers of cheesecloth. I highly recommend using fillable teabags or a tea sock. I prefer the fillable teabags over the tea sock. No cleaning. The teabag can go right into the compost.

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream to just boiling. Add the teabags and allow to steep, covered, for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, in a large bowl, whip the egg yolks with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar in increments, beating well after each addition for a total of about 3 minutes.

Remove the teabags from the cream, making sure to squeeze out excess liquid. Slowly add the liquid to the egg mixture while mixing with the electric mixer. Return the custard to the pot, and heat over medium-low heat, with frequent stirring, until it reaches about 175°F or until it coats the back of your spoon without running off. Strain the custard into a large bowl. Don’t push the debris through the strainer, unless you like soft scrambled eggs in your ice cream. At last, add the coconut milk and vanilla and mix well. Chill the custard, covered, until it’s cold, preferably overnight. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you like tea infused creamy concoctions, then this Thai tea creme brulee may pique your interest.