Quick Matcha Ice Cream Recipe

Of course, any chef is going to tell you that you need to try their recipe, but when chef and recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge implores you to give this one a whirl, she's not trying to self-promote; she's trying to do you a favor. "Honestly, please try this recipe," Olayinka says, adding, "It is so good and very, very easy!" 

You will need to commit all of about five minutes of hands-on work to prepare this ice cream, and use only basic kitchen tools. (You will need to wait a solid half a day for it to fully set and freeze, though, so plan ahead.)

As laid out here, you'll make a portion of about three cups, but don't be hesitant to ramp things up and make a much larger batch. "This will keep in the freezer for about two to three weeks before it starts to get that freezer taste, if you know what I mean," Olayinka says. But don't worry about making the bigger batch. "It won't last for that long ... well it didn't in our house. We finished it in about four days!"

Got your sweet tooth excited yet? Then let's get mixing! Then waiting...

Matcha is sourced from the same plant used to make green tea, but while green tea is simply water that has been infused with parts of the plant, matcha consists of the actual plant itself, dried and ground into a fine powder. (Little wonder why it is such a vibrant green color then, no?) In fact, according to Health.com, the word "matcha" means "powdered tea" in Japanese. 

Matcha is prized for the flavor it infuses into foods and beverages, and also for its health benefits. According to Health Line, it is very high in antioxidants, it's great for the brain and liver, it can help prevent heart disease, and it may even help with weight management.

It only takes five ingredients to make this delectable ice cream, and those are heavy cream, matcha powder, vanilla powder, a can of condensed milk, and some powdered sugar. If you don't have vanilla powder, you can use a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead, says Olayinka. 

What you add to the finished ice cream? Well that's where you can go wild, making it your own with whatever customizations you want. Olayinka says: "Chocolate is usually paired with matcha ice cream," and adds that "caramelized nuts, marshmallows, hazelnuts, walnuts, all [mix well]."

That said, make sure to try the ice cream as it is first, since you might just be gilding the lily with added ingredients.

Begin the recipe by getting a large mixing bowl — you will need to fit all of your ingredients into it. First off, pour the heavy cream into the bowl. Next, spoon in the matcha, trying to spread it out atop the cream so it doesn't clump, as you will next with the vanilla powder and powdered sugar. Mix these all together with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form; this will take two to three minutes.

Now pop open the can of condensed milk and pour it into the whipped cream mixture. Then use a spoon or spatula and mix the condensed milk into the other ingredients, stirring gently for about 10 seconds. The color will be uniform when it is all mixed.

"Just be sure to incorporate the matcha into the ice cream mixture well, as no one wants little crumbles of matcha that hasn't been mixed in properly," Olayinka says.

After all of the ingredients are well incorporated, pour the ice cream into an airtight container with a lid — one that's big enough to hold four cups of liquid. Now freeze the ice cream overnight, preferably for at least 12 hours. After 12 hours, take the ice cream out of the freezer and use an ice cream scoop to serve it in cones, bowls, or as the base for one excellent milkshake.