Thai Tea Ice Cream Recipe

By Max Falkowitz
Updated Apr. 15, 2020
Thai tea ice cream
Photograph: Max Falkowitz

This ice cream tastes just like a cup of Thai iced tea, but with a stronger tea kick. Serve with a slurp (or two) of sweetened condensed milk. If you want to remove all tea particles from the ice cream, strain the custard through a cheesecloth.

Unlike other ice cream bases, which often benefit from longer cooking to create a thicker custard, this recipe performs better with a thinner one. The tea flavor is more pronounced and the texture is glossier. Since the texture of a thinner custard is more difficult to keep over time, eat this ice cream the same day it's made.

Look for Thai tea in Asian groceries or online.

Recipe Details

Thai Tea Ice Cream Recipe

Active 40 mins
Total 12 hrs
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 cups half-and-half

  • 1/2 cup Thai tea leaves

  • 6 large egg yolks

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Sweetened condensed milk, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, bring half and half to a simmer. Stir in Thai tea, turn off heat, and steep for five minutes.

  2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until yolks pale in color and thicken. Slowly ladle about one cup dairy mixture into yolks, whisking constantly, then transfer yolks to saucepan, whisking well to combine.

  3. Turn heat on medium low and whisk frequently until a thin, syrupy custard forms. Add salt to taste, between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon. Custard should lightly coat back of a spoon and a swiped finger should leave a clean line. Do not cook custard until thick.

  4. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and chill overnight before churning according to manufacturer's instructions. Chill ice cream in freezer for at least three hours before serving, with a drizzle of condensed milk on top. Ice cream is best eaten the day it is made.

Special equipment

Ice cream machine

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
347 Calories
19g Fat
35g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 347
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 261mg 87%
Sodium 259mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 180mg 14%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 257mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)