# Ingredient List:
→ Dairy Base
01 - 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
02 - 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
→ Tea Infusion
03 - 3 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea (or 4 tea bags)
→ Custard Mixture
04 - 4 large egg yolks
05 - 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
06 - Pinch of fine sea salt
# Directions:
01 - Combine milk and heavy cream in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling, watching carefully to prevent scorching.
02 - Add hojicha tea leaves to the hot dairy mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and let steep for 10 minutes to extract the roasted tea flavor.
03 - Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing firmly on the tea leaves to extract maximum flavor. Return the infused dairy to the saucepan.
04 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together until the mixture becomes pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
05 - Slowly pour approximately 1 cup of the warm hojicha-infused milk into the egg yolks while whisking continuously. This gradual warming prevents the eggs from scrambling.
06 - Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hojicha milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170-175°F).
07 - Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely chilled.
08 - Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20-25 minutes until thick and creamy.
09 - Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight freezer container. Freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before scooping and serving.
