Thai Tea Recipes (1 Easy and 1 advanced)

Easy Thai Tea Ice Cream (Easy)

First you will need:
1 1/2c whole milk
1/2c Thai tea (the from a packet of dry mix)
3 egg yolks
1c sugar
1 1/2c heavy cream

Directions:
Steep tea in hot milk for at least 20 minutes Remove from heat and strain tea/milk mixture and add the heavy cream. Return to heat, stirring constantly until hot, but not boiling. Mix together the eggs and sugar in a bowl and temper with the hot tea mixture (tempering is adding a little bit of hot liquid at a time to an egg mix while stirring constantly to bring the egg up to temperature without curdling it, which will make a smoother ice cream).

When the eggs are up to temperature (and hopefully not curdled), add to the pot with the tea mixture. Stir constantly over heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain again if necessary (some egg yolk may have curdled) and cool in the refrigerator until well chilled (4 to 8 hours). Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Thai Tea Ice Cream (advanced)

You will need:
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces sugar
a few drops of red food coloring

Thai Tea Flavorings:
4 Chinese star anise, ground
1/2 tablespoon orange flowers
1/2 tablespoon powdered vanilla
1 Small pinch of clove powder
1 Small pinch cinnamon
1/2 cup black tea leaves
These ingredients can be placed in a cheesecloth bag prior to use for easy removal.

Directions:
Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan with the Thai tea flavorings and food coloring. Heat over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain this mixture if flavorings are loose, otherwise simply remove cheesecloth bag. Bring back to a bare simmer.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about a third of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.