This vibrant Japanese green tea ice cream delivers the earthy, slightly bitter notes of ceremonial-grade matcha balanced by a rich, creamy custard base. It is the perfect treat on a warm afternoon or alongside a slice of castella cake. A few quality ingredients and a little patience during chilling yield a silky, scoopable dessert with a beautiful jade hue.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings (about 1.5 quarts)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 285 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 13 gSaturated Fat
- 18 gCarbs
- 0 gFiber
- 17 gSugar
- 4 gProtein
- 110 mgSodium
- 140 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 0.8 mgIron
- 1 mgVitamin C
- 520 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Matcha Custard Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup ceremonial-grade matcha powder
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Finishing
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, for slightly sweeter result)
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream and whole milk and warm over medium heat until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, about 4 minutes; do not let it boil.
- Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the warm cream mixture until completely smooth, then stir the matcha slurry back into the saucepan.
- In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Slowly pour about one-third of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of the spoon and registers 170 to 175°F, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg or matcha clumps.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions, about 20 to 25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours, before serving.
Cook’s Notes
- Use ceremonial-grade matcha for the brightest color and cleanest, least-bitter flavor; culinary-grade will taste more astringent and look duller.
- If you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into a shallow metal pan, freeze for 45 minutes, then beat vigorously with a fork; repeat every 30 minutes three to four times until creamy.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute full-fat coconut milk for the cream and use a plant-based milk in place of the whole milk.
- Always sift the matcha before whisking it into the cream to avoid green lumps in the finished ice cream.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before freezing to prevent ice crystals and keep the texture silky.










