Matcha Ice Cream

Japanese matcha ice cream of deep jade green, its custard base whisked with ceremonial-grade matcha until every mouthful carries the clean, bitter-sweet intensity of the Uji tea hills

Origin: Kyoto & Tokyo, Japan

From the journey of Tea.

Matcha ice cream (抹茶アイスクリーム) is arguably the most globally recognisable expression of matcha as a culinary ingredient beyond the tea bowl itself, and one of the defining flavours of the Japanese dessert vocabulary. The preparation emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as Western-style ice cream was adopted and adapted by Japanese confectioners (the wagashi tradition) and subsequently by the food industry, initially as a novelty flavour and then as one of the most popular ice cream varieties sold in Japan. The quality of the result is entirely dependent on the quality of the matcha: ceremonial-grade matcha, produced from the shaded-grown, stone-ground leaves of the Uji (Kyoto) or Nishio (Aichi) growing regions, carries a deep, complex umami-sweetness that cheaper culinary grades cannot replicate. The characteristic jade-green colour is natural, coming entirely from the high chlorophyll content of shaded tea leaves (shading increases chlorophyll and amino acid production by preventing photosynthesis from converting these compounds). Matcha ice cream spread beyond Japan first to Hawaii, then to California and Australia with Japanese restaurant culture, and then globally via the wider matcha food trend of the 2010s. It is now produced commercially in over forty countries, though the finest versions remain firmly in the hands of Kyoto's specialist wagashi makers, who use first-harvest spring matcha ground on traditional stone mills (ishiusu) at low speed to preserve the volatile aromatic compounds that give premium matcha its complexity.

Ingredients

Matcha

  • 3 tbsp ceremonial-grade matcha powder, sifted (do not substitute culinary grade for this recipe: the flavour difference is significant)
  • 3 tbsp hot water (approximately 75°C, not boiling), for mixing the matcha paste

Custard

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 120 g caster sugar
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 300 ml double cream (heavy cream)
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Method

  1. Sift the matcha into a small bowl. Add the hot water and whisk vigorously with a matcha whisk (chasen) or a small balloon whisk, using a rapid W-shaped motion, until the matcha is completely dissolved with no lumps and the paste is a smooth, vivid green. Set aside.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until pale, thick, and ribbon-like, about 3 minutes with a balloon whisk.
  3. Heat the milk and double cream together in a saucepan until just below boiling (steaming, with small bubbles appearing at the edges). Remove from heat.
  4. Pour the hot cream mixture slowly over the beaten yolks while whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat and stir continuously with a silicone spatula until the custard thickens to coat the back of the spatula (82–84°C on a thermometer). Do not allow to boil.
  5. Remove from heat. Whisk the matcha paste thoroughly into the warm custard until completely incorporated and uniformly bright green. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until thoroughly cold.
  6. Churn the cold matcha custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions until thick and holding its shape (typically 25–35 minutes). Transfer to a cold container, cover with baking paper pressed directly to the surface, and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

Notes

Matcha ice cream is best eaten within a week of making: the chlorophyll in the matcha gradually oxidises, dulling the green colour and mellowing the flavour. Store with the surface covered directly to prevent freezer burn. Serve at a cool but not frozen-solid temperature: remove from the freezer 5 minutes before scooping. Pair with warabi mochi, red bean paste (anko), or sesame tuile biscuits for a traditional Japanese accompaniment.

The Gastrographer

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Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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