My honey and hojicha ice cream makes a refreshing treat with its nutty flavor, rich caramel, and sweet blackberries.
To celebrate National Ice Cream Month, I wanted to share a fun flavor inspired by our trip to Japan, honey and hojicha ice cream. We spent two weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto, Awaji Island, Kobe, and Osaka and ate soft-serve and ice cream multiple times a day. It was at Nishiki Market in Kyoto that I tried hojicha ice cream for the first time. Unlike the bitterness of matcha, the hojicha lent an aromatic and nutty note to the ice cream, similar to roasted barley. I stocked up on hojicha tea from Fukujuen and went down the rabbit hole with hojicha desserts. I hope you will enjoy this honey and hojicha ice cream as much as we did!
Ingredient Notes
- Hojicha: is a Japanese roasted green tea consisting of leaves and stems. They are incredibly fragrant with a smoky, nutty note. I get my hojicha tea from Fukujen.
- Honey: After testing multiple versions, I love the subtle note of honey with the hojicha. Wildflower or orange blossom honey works well with this recipe.
How to Make the Custard
- Heat milk, cream, and honey in a large saucepan over medium low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Add the hojicha tea and give it a quick stir to distribute.
- Remove pan from heat, cover, and let the tea steep 10 minutes.
- Bring the cream mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl.
- Slowly pour about ¼ cup of warm cream into the egg sugar mixture to temper the eggs. Continue until the cream is finished.
- Pour everything (including the tea) back into the saucepan and cook on medium-low heat until the custard thickens, about 12-15 minutes.
- Strain the base to remove any solids.
How Long to Refrigerate the Custard
Let the custard cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate the custard for 8 hours or overnight for the flavor to develop. You can leave it in the fridge up to 48 hours.
How Long to Freeze the Ice Cream
Churn the hojicha custard until you get a soft serve consistency. Freeze the honey and hojicha ice cream for a minimum of 4 hours. If you like soft serve consistency serve it right away.
How to Make the Hojicha Caramel
- Heat cream in a large saucepan over medium low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Add the hojicha tea and give it a quick stir to distribute.
- Remove pan from heat, cover, and let the tea steep 15 minutes.
- Strain the cream and discard the tea.
- To make the salted caramel, place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook. Bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes without stirring until the mixture is a deep caramel color.
- Remove the pan from heat and working quickly, whisk in the salt and hojicha cream until combined.
- Return the pan to heat and cook for another 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before serving.
What to Serve Ice Cream With
I like serving the honey and hojicha ice cream with salted hojicha caramel and blackberries. You get a double dose of hojicha from the ice cream and caramel and blackberries to foil the sweetness.
Storage
If stored well, the ice cream in an airtight container lasts up to one month in the freezer. It's best to consume the honey and hojicha ice cream within two weeks.
For more ice cream inspiration:
- Vietnamese coffee ice cream
- Earl grey chocolate ice cream
- Passion fruit ice cream
- Roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream
Honey and Hojicha Ice Cream
Ingredients
Ice Cream Custard
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons wildflower honey
- 3 tablespoons hojicha tea
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
Hojicha Caramel
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons hojicha tea
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For Serving
- 1 pint fresh blackberries
Instructions
- Heat milk, cream, and honey in a large saucepan over medium low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Add the hojicha tea and give it a quick stir to distribute. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let the tea steep 10 minutes.
- Bring the cream mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly pour about ¼ cup of warm cream into the egg sugar mixture to temper the eggs. Continue until the cream is finished.
- Pour everything (including the tea) back into the saucepan and cook on medium-low heat stirring constantly until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula, about 12-15 minutes.
- Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziplock freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in an ice bath until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate the custard for 8 hours or overnight for the flavor to develop. You can leave it in the fridge up to 48 hours.
- Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister of your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Spin until thick and creamy about 25-30 minutes.
- Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Hojicha Caramel
- Heat cream in a large saucepan over medium low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Add the hojicha tea and give it a quick stir to distribute.
- Remove pan from heat, cover, and let the tea steep 15 minutes. Strain the cream and discard the tea.
- To make the salted caramel, place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook. Bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes without stirring until the mixture is a deep caramel color.
- Remove the pan from heat and working quickly, whisk in the salt and hojicha cream until combined.
- Return the pan to medium heat and cook for another 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Transfer hojicha caramel to lidded jar and store in refrigerate for up to one month.
For Serving
- When ready to serve, leave the ice cream out for 5 minutes to let it soften.
- Scoop ice cream into serving bowls, drizzle with hojicha caramel, and top with blackberries. Enjoy immediately.
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