Matcha Ice Cream Parfait
I love a good matcha parfait. The kind with all the layers and finishing touches, like the really extravagant ones they serve in cafes and traditional tea houses in the narrow backstreets of Kyoto.
I’m sure you’re familiar with the traditional parfaits that originate in France; a layering of fruits, custard, and ice cream. Well, this is Japan’s take on the original, in case you haven’t had the chance to indulge yourself in one. They’re usually layered with something a little more “traditionally Japanese” - like matcha tea flavoured jelly, whipped cream, red bean paste, mochi, and more.
Making Matcha ice cream, or let alone ice cream, might seem a little complex. But you’d be surprised to know that it really isn’t. All it takes is just 4-5 ingredients and either an ice cream maker or if you’re lucky enough to own the iconic kitchen appliance, a KitchenAid (aka my new best friend in the kitchen)
This recipe doesn’t use raw eggs either, so if you’re like me and the thought of eating raw eggs makes you feel a little queasy and NQR, then this one’s for you.
I use 3 tbsp. of matcha, which makes for a matcha ice cream with depth and potency. You want your matcha ice cream to actually taste like matcha, not just a vanilla ice cream with a tinge of green.
Recipes to the other layers, including shiratama, red bean paste (aka anko), and matcha jelly can all be found below too xx
INGREDIENTS
1 can condensed milk
2 cups cold whipping cream
3 tbsp. (or more) matcha powder
pinch of sea salt
METHOD
Place a large bowl in the freezer for 2-3hrs top to make sure it’s ice cold.
Place your condensed milk in the fridge to keep cold
Beat cold, heavy cream with your hand-mixer or KitchenAid, on medium until stiff peaks form.
Turn down the speed and pour in your condensed milk.
Turn up the speed until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks begin to form again.
Turn off the machine and add in your matcha powder. Add a pinch of sea salt at this point also. Turn your mixer back on and continue to whip until an even green colour.
Transfer your ice cream into a large resealable container and freeze overnight. Scoop and serve on its own or as a parfait.
THE OTHER LAYERS
Red Bean Paste (aka Anko)
Ingredients.
250g adzuki beans, rinsed
1L water (1:4 ratio)
250g sugar (brown or caster sugar works fine)
pinch of sea salt
Method.
Gather all your ingredients. Rinse your adzuki beans until the water runs clear.
Transfer your drained adzuki beans to a pressure cooker and add the water.
Cover your pressure cooker and put it on a burner at a high heat until the pressure is reached. Then reduce to a low heat to maintain the pressure for 20 minutes. Take off from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Once the pressure’s released, gently and carefully open the lid and scoop out any foam that’s floating on the surface of the water.
Add sugar and salt and bring back to the boil. This time, you won’t need to use the pressure function.
Continue to cook until the red beans starts to thicken and the water has almost completely evaporated. Add a little more water, depending on how thick you want your paste to be. To ensure that the red bean is fully cooked through, mash a bean between your fingers - if it’s soft, then it’s ready!
Once the red bean paste has completely cooled, transfer to container and refrigerate until it’s ready to serve. This recipe can be done in a normal pot, but you’ll need to soak the beans overnight, and the cooking process generally takes a lot longer. Red bean paste also keeps in the fridge for approx. 3 days, or 2 months or so in the freezer.
Matcha Jelly
Ingredients.
1-2 tbsp. ceremonial grade matcha powder
4-5 tbsp. sugar
2 gelatin leaves or 1 tsp. gelatin powder
1 cup water
Method.
If you’re using gelatin leaves, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes or so. Once the time is up, rinse out the excess water. Place a small saucepan over a medium heat, add your water and bring to a boil.
Once boiled, take the saucepan off the heat and add your gelatin leaves and sugar. Whisk to make sure they’ve completely dissolved. Gradually add your matcha powder and whisk well until that too has dissolved.
Shiratama
Ingredients.
100g shiratama-ko (shiratama flour) - this can usually be found in Japanese food and grocery stores
100ml water
Method.
1. Add your shiratama flour into a medium-size bowl and gently add your water in, adding just enough for the dough to become paste-like. It shouldn’t be too watery or too floury and definitely not too sticky.
2. Mix the dough until it becomes a consistency that can be easily rolled in your hands. Roll into 10 or so small round balls.
3. Add water to a medium-size saucepan and place on high heat. Once the water has boiled, gently add your shiratama balls in and cook until they float. Once they’ve floated to the top, cook for another minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander or a large sieve and add ice cold water to them so they don’t continue to cook. Once cooled, serve with matcha ice cream, Anko, jelly, and whatever else you want.