Ice Cream Recipe

Warm the dairy

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into the milk (or add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract). Warm over medium heat until mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge, about 5–7 minutes. Do not boil.

Whisk yolks and sugar

While the milk warms, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Temper the yolks

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then gradually whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk, stirring constantly.

Cook to custard

Return saucepan to low–medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C), about 3–6 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Finish and cool

Remove from heat, stir in a pinch of fine sea salt. If you used a vanilla bean, remove the pod. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Place the bowl in an ice bath (use the 1 cup cold water ice bath around the bowl) and stir occasionally until cooled to room temperature, about 20–30 minutes. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Bloom the matcha

When the custard is chilled, measure 2 teaspoons matcha powder into a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons hot water and whisk into a smooth paste until no lumps remain.

Sweeten and thin

Stir 1 tablespoon granulated sugar into the matcha paste. Add about 3 tablespoons hot milk taken from the warmed custard (or warm a few tablespoons separately) and whisk until smooth and pourable. Taste and adjust sugar if desired. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then chill briefly if needed so it is cold or near-cold before swirling into ice cream.

Churn the base

Pour the chilled vanilla custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, typically 20–30 minutes.

Layer with matcha

Spoon or drizzle a portion of the matcha mixture into the churned ice cream as you transfer it to a container, alternating with spoonfuls of the vanilla ice cream to create swirls. Gently fold once or twice with a spatula for more marbling—avoid overmixing if you want visible green tea ribbons.

Harden

Transfer the swirled ice cream to an airtight container. Press a piece of parchment directly on the surface to minimize ice crystals, close the lid, and freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up.

Serve

Scoop and serve. Optional: dust with a light pinch of matcha powder as garnish just before serving.