If you’re a fan of green tea, then you’re going to love this delectable green tea ice cream recipe. It takes one of the world’s most popular beverages and transforms it into a rich, creamy frozen dessert. Green tea ice cream manages to be both refreshing and indulgent at the same time. The gentle grassy notes from the green tea beautifully complement the sweet, creamy base. It’s the perfect way to satisfy your ice cream cravings while getting an antioxidant boost from the green tea.
This green tea ice cream recipe comes in both a regular and lightened-up diet version so there’s an option for everyone. The regular version is made with classic ice cream ingredients like cream and half-and-half for an ultra thick, velvety texture. The diet version utilizes low-fat milk and an artificial sweetener to cut back on calories and fat content.
No matter which version you choose, the process of making green tea ice cream at home is simple and straightforward. In just 10 minutes of actual prep time, plus churning in an ice cream maker, you can have a quart of this delightful frozen treat ready to enjoy. Let’s go through the steps:
Green Tea Ice Cream Ingredients
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 4 green tea bags
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup heavy cream
For the Diet Version
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 4 green tea bags
- 12 envelopes of Equal artificial sweetener
- 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Instructions
- Steep green tea bags in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Squeeze and discard bags.
- For regular version: Whisk brewed tea with sugar until dissolved. Let cool slightly then stir in half-and-half and heavy cream.
- For diet version: Whisk brewed tea with Equal sweetener until dissolved. Let cool slightly then stir in low-fat milk.
- Pour mixture into frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn for 25-35 minutes according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
As you can see, the diet version cuts out the higher fat dairy and uses a non-nutritive sweetener to reduce the overall calorie and fat content. The cream gets swapped for low-fat milk to keep things lighter.
Making Green Tea Ice Cream To start, you’ll want to steep the green tea bags in the 1/3 cup of boiling water for about 5 minutes. Give the tea bags a gentle squeeze to release any remaining liquid before discarding them.
For the regular version, simply whisk together the freshly brewed green tea and the 1/2 cup of sugar until fully dissolved. Allow the sweetened green tea to cool, then stir in the half-and-half and heavy cream until completely combined.
For the diet version, whisk the hot green tea with the Equal sweetener until dissolved. Let the mixture cool, then stir in the 2 cups of low-fat milk.
Once your green tea base is prepared, it’s time to churn it into ice cream! Simply pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl of your ice cream maker and let it do its magic according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most ice cream makers will take 25-35 minutes to churn the ice cream to your desired consistency.
As the machine works its way through the churning process, the green tea base will slowly thicken and incorporate air, creating that signature smooth and creamy ice cream texture. The regular version will freeze up thick and luxuriously rich, while the diet version will be lighter with a softer consistency.
Serving Green Tea Ice Cream Once churned, your fresh green tea ice cream can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the freezer until ready to serve. For maximum creaminess, you’ll want to let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
This green tea frozen treat is delicious all on its own, or you can get creative with toppings and mix-ins. Fresh fruit like strawberries or mango would be a lovely accompaniment to the grassy green tea notes. You could also mix in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or crumbled cookies for extra crunch and flavor. A drizzle of honey or your favorite ice cream sauce on top would make for an extra indulgent dessert.
For those looking to enjoy green tea ice cream as a lighter option, try scooping the diet version into a bowl and topping with fresh berries and a sprinkle of slivered almonds. You’ll get all the decadent satisfaction of ice cream while keeping things on the lighter side.
No matter how you choose to serve it up, this green tea ice cream recipe is sure to be a hit. It’s perfectly suited for those warm spring and summer days when you need a sweet, creamy treat to beat the heat. But honestly, the bright, refreshing flavors make it enjoyable any time of year.
So the next time you’re craving ice cream, skip the usual vanilla or chocolate and try making this green tea version instead. It’s a creative way to enjoy one of the healthiest beverages on the planet transformed into a delightfully indulgent frozen dessert. Just be warned – one taste of this green tea ice cream may just make it your new favorite scoop!
FAQ
Green tea ice cream is made by steeping green tea bags in boiling water to extract the green tea flavor. This brewed green tea is then combined with typical ice cream ingredients like cream, milk, and sweeteners to create the ice cream base. The regular version uses heavy cream, half-and-half, and granulated sugar, while the lighter diet version uses low-fat milk and artificial sweeteners.
Yes, both the regular and diet versions of this green tea ice cream recipe contain milk. The regular version uses a combination of half-and-half and heavy cream. The diet version uses 1% low-fat milk to reduce the fat and calorie content compared to the regular version with cream.
A common crossword clue for an ingredient in green tea ice cream could be “Steeped beverage”. This is referring to the green tea bags that are steeped in boiling water to extract the green tea flavoring that goes into the ice cream base.
Green ice cream, specifically referring to green tea ice cream, is made from a base of brewed green tea leaves combined with dairy ingredients like cream and/or milk. The regular full-fat version contains heavy cream and half-and-half, while lighter versions may use low-fat milk. Sweeteners like sugar or artificial sweeteners are also added to balance the tea’s grassy, slightly bitter flavor.
