No-Churn Hong Kong Milk Tea Ice Cream
Bay Area summers are so awkward. Every morning this past week, I turn on the tv while I sip on my coffee and watch the morning news (because I’m turning into an old person). When the weather person pops up, I see that the whole country is experiencing a collective heatwave with temperatures reaching the 100s and then there’s the tiny dot that is San Francisco hanging out at a cool 65 degrees. I’m not complaining though, just pointing out the ridiculousness of it all. I’ve been cooking and baking like crazy the last 2 weeks because I had a panic attack about my cookbook deadline and life is so much better when my kitchen doesn’t instantly heat up when I turn a burner on.
The Sun is just starting the peek back out again though, just in time because I’ve been wanting to enjoy this No-Churn Hong Kong Milk Tea Ice Cream out in the yard and it just feels weird if it’s cloudy and misting outside. To be fair, this ice cream is quite luscious and delicious that I would happy enjoy it under any conditions.
I’ve held strong on my decision to not indulge in an ice cream machine and just keep honing my no-churn ice cream craft. I’ve combined it with my favorite hobby, which is infusing anything and everything with loose leaf tea (do I need new hobbies?). I made a salty jasmine ice cream the other week and then it dawned on me that Hong Kong Milk Tea is just tea, milk, and sweetened condensed milk which is quite literally all you need to make no-churn ice cream so I had to perfect it right away. I love the jasmine version, but this Hong Milk Tea flavor tastes of pure nostalgia to me. I steep A LOT of ceylon tea because I like my milk tea very strong and the flavors definitely came through in the ice cream. The texture is absolutely dreamy and I know you’re going to love it too. I think I’m going to make an affogato with it this afternoon, sort of yuanyang inspired. Hopefully the Sun comes out for that!
No-Churn Hong Kong Milk Tea Ice Cream
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup ceylon tea
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp coarse salt
In a medium saucepan, mix to combine heavy whipping cream and ceylon tea. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, immediately turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Allow to tea to steep in the cream for 15 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves through a fine mesh sieve and into a measuring cup or bowl, making sure to press out as much cream from the tea leaves as you can. You should have between 2 to 2 1/2 cups of tea infused cream. Cover the cream with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until very cold, at least 4 hours.
Pour the cream into the bowl of a standmixer fitted with a whisk attachment (can also whip by hand). Mix on medium speed until stiff peaks for, about 2 minutes.
Add sweetened condensed milk and salt. Fold everything together with a flexible spatula until smooth and airy. Transfer the mixture to a 9x5 inch loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until fully hardened, at least 6 hours.