Ingredients
Tea Ice Cream Base
- ½ cup Thai tea mix
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (divided)
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
Garnish
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
Instructions
- Steep the Thai Tea: Combine the Thai tea mix, whole milk, and ½ cup heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Steep the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to steam. Remove it from heat once the liquid turns a bright orange color, indicating proper infusion.
- Strain the Tea: Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the tea leaves. Press the leaves gently to extract as much liquid as possible. Alternatively, use cheesecloth to squeeze out the liquid. It’s fine if some small flecks of tea remain.
- Mix Sweetened Condensed Milk and Vanilla: To the tea liquid, add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla paste and whisk until thoroughly combined, creating a sweet and flavorful ice cream base.
- Chill Mixer Bowl and Whip Cream: Place the bowl and whisk attachment of a stand mixer in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Then, whip the remaining 1 ½ cups of heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, which will give the ice cream a light and airy texture.
- Fold Whipped Cream into Tea Mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the tea mixture in two batches, ensuring the mixture stays light and fluffy without deflating the whipped cream.
- Freeze the Ice Cream: Transfer the combined mixture to a loaf or cake pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil to prevent ice crystals and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until firm.
- Toast Coconut Flakes: In a large pan over medium heat, toast the coconut flakes while stirring frequently until they become lightly golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Serve: Scoop the frozen Thai tea ice cream into bowls or cones and garnish generously with the toasted coconut flakes for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- The steeping step is crucial – do not boil the mixture to avoid bitterness.
- Chilling the mixer bowl and using cold heavy cream helps create stiff peaks more easily.
- For a smoother texture, gentle folding preserves airiness in the ice cream base.
- Use plastic wrap and foil to cover the ice cream container tightly to prevent ice crystals formation during freezing.
- Toast the coconut flakes just before serving to maintain their crunchiness and aroma.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
