White chelsea chai ice cream

The June/July issue of Fine Cooking has a great ice cream tutorial by chef and fellow blogger David Lebovitz.  I had never thought of infusing ice cream with a flavour before reading it.  I had the idea to use one of my favourite teas, white chelsea chai.  It is so light, sweet and fragrant.  I used it to infuse the milk and cream before making the custard.  The magazine suggests using a fine sieve to strain the mixture if you're infusing.  I don't own one so I made a big tea bag out of cheesecloth.

2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 5 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar (not pictured), 1/4 cup tea and a pinch of salt.

You can see peppercorns and whole cardamon pods in with the tea leaves. mmmm

Warm up 1 cup of the cream, the milk, sugar and salt over medium high heat.  When small bubbles form around the edges remove from heat and add 'tea bag'.  Wait an hour...maybe watch the Flavour Wave infommecial starring Mr. T like I did.  It's almost as good as the one for the magic bullet, you won't be disappointed!
Remove the tea and warm up the mixture.  Add a small amount to the beaten eggs while whisking, to temper them, then add the eggs and cream mixture back to the pot.  Cook and stir until the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon and hold a line drawn through with your finger.

Add mixture to the other cup of cream, use an ice bath to cool everything down.  Stir occasionally as it cools.  Refridgerate for atleast four hours.
I made the custard last night so this morning I could just freeze it in my ice cream freezer.  When I woke up I was so excited to get it going, but then I realized I used the last of my rock salt last time I made ice cream.  You pack ice and rock salt around the canister filled with the ice cream mixture to help it freeze.  The paddle inside mixes it as it freezes and fills it with air.  It's like making whipped cream in a freezer. 

I ran out into the rain (after getting dressed and popping some minty gum) to pick some up at Loblaws.  My Loblaws doesn't carry rock salt this time of year.  The little old cashier lady suggested I use pickling salt 'because once last winter she used it on her front steps and it melted the ice fine, it'll be in aisle four, it used to be in a different aisle, but we're reformatting the store you see'.  So here I am waiting to see if pickling salt works just as well as rock/ice cream salt.  I wonder if Anne of Green Gables and Diana had rock salt when they made ice cream for the church picnic? ... 'it takes a tin pail, pack it with some ice.  Rock salt, sprinkle on it twice. Big spoon to see if it tastes nice'

uh oh


To be continued....

Comments

[Maria Macadevinchi]

What dinner music would you recommend with these meals?