Cream or sugar in your tea?

How about tea in your ice cream?  

We only have a few precious weeks of prime ice cream weather left so let's soak it up while we still can. 

All great ice cream begins the same way - milk, sugar, and egg yolks. 

Eggs and sugar are whisked into the ribbon stage.  This is when the yolks have lightened in color and have thickened up significantly. 

At this point, the steaming cream can be streamed into the egg yolks, slowly tempering the eggs without scrambling them. 

Now comes the moment where our simple sweet cream canvas is transformed by strokes of fragrant bergamot.

I steeped a handful of my favorite earl grey tea bags in a cup of milk for about fifteen minutes. Normally, that would be far too long a steeping period, but the sugar and cream mellow out any trace of bitterness, leaving only the striking notes of crisp, black tea. 

After the base has thoroughly chilled, it can be churned into an airy ice cream.  I added a handful of dark chocolate chunks right at the end.  I love how chocolate and earl grey play together. 

I am really terrible at being patient.  Especially when it comes to ice cream.  

That is why this ice cream is very much on the soft serve side.  If you have more self-control than I do, then you can wait until your ice cream is fully set. 

I'll tell you right now that it is pretty wonderful straight from the churning bowl. 

I think we just made the perfect autumn ice cream.  Rich, black tea, and slightly fruity dark chocolate...it's so good.  Step aside pumpkin. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

makes about 1 quart

- 1 cup whole milk

- 8 earl grey tea bags (I really like this variety)

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 5 egg yolks 

- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 3/4 cup good, dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat, until steaming.  Remove from heat and add tea bags.  Cover and steep for fifteen minutes.  Remove tea bags. 

In a second saucepan, heat cream over medium heat, until steaming. 

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until they have lightened in color and are thick and pale yellow. Slowly whisk in the granulated sugar.  While continuing to whisk, slowly stream in the hot cream, tempering the egg yolks.  Return the custard to the saucepan, along with the earl grey milk, and cook over medium heat until the custard has just begun to thicken slightly and coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. 

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.  Prepare in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  During the last minute of churning, add chocolate. 

Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe container for 3-6 hours; until set.  Enjoy!