Yesterday was 93 degrees in Los Angeles, you read that correctly, nine-zero degrees in April after a non-existent winter and with complete disregard for spring. Therefore I threw in the towel and made Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream. Sweet cream and milk steeped with floral Earl Grey Tea, combined with sugar and yolks, chilled and churned.
Served in a waffle cone, there is nothing complicated or overworked about this recipe. It's just really good, rich and chewy ice cream made from scratch and completely satisfying on a hot (spring) day.
But for those of you who are not suffering through this California heat wave, don’t be deterred! Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream is the perfect year round flavor with lovely reminders of a hot cup of tea with lots of cream and sugar. If you are in California, I suggest digging that ice cream machine out immediately. Summer has arrived!
photos by Leah Bergman / floral napkin by Cute Bright Things
Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream- Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones
1 ¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cup 1% or 2% milk
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoon loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5 large egg yolks
Directions:
1. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, half of the sugar (¼ cup), the tea, and salt.
2. Put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat and cover the pan. Let steep for about 10 minutes, or until the cream has taken on the distinct flavor of Earl Grey tea.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in the remaining half of the sugar (¼ cup). Uncover the cream mixture and put the pan over medium heat. 4. Carefully scoop out about ½ up of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks. Repeat, adding another ½ cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks. Using a heatproof spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowlypour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
5. Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your fingers across the spatula, about 3 minutes longer.
6. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the base for at least 2 hours or overnight.
7. Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you'll use to store the ice cream into the freezer. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, transfer to the chilled container and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Christmaskitty says
That looks delicious!!! Darn, I knew I should have stopped by your place after work! It was so hot I peddled home as fast as I could.
Leah Bergman says
Yes, you should have stopped by! I will save some for Thursday. 🙂
COMODORE says
WOW!
Erin Phraner (@erinphraner) says
Wowzo! This recipe looks SO super delicious—can't wait to try xoxo
Leah Bergman says
Thank you Erin! I love this recipe.
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
You had me at Earl Grey. LOVE these flavors!
Leah Bergman says
Thank you Amanda! Earl Grey is one of my favorite flavors too.
P Cox says
Oh my gosh, yum!
Leah Bergman says
You got that right! 😉 Hope you will give it a try.
Jody says
Oh my gosh. I've had earl grey macarons (and those are yum), but this just looks amazing. I have to try this!....If I can get around to cleaning my kitchen! 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Leah Bergman says
Ha! I know the feeling. My sink is terrible at the moment...oh well!
Tasty Yummies says
Yup, I kinda cannot get over this heat we've been having. Doesn't seem right, mostly because I have had to work instead of being able to just go to the beach 😉 This ice cream looks like THE perfect way to beat the heat. YUM!
Logan says
This makes me think of my favorite ice cream shop, Carmella. They have the best flavors.
xox Logan
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