MASALA CHAI ICE CREAM WITH CRACKED PEPPERCORN
मसाला
What makes Chicken Tikka Masala different from Masala Chai? What does “Masala” even mean?
Masala is kin to the word “spiced” in English or “épicé” in French, and the variations of a masala’s components are as diverse as the neighborhoods and households of India they are created in. Some masalas are a mix of dried spices whiles others are pastes made from dried spices ground together with wet ingredients like ginger, tomato, and garlic.
Despite my love of Indian food, I have rarely attempted to make Indian dishes at home, especially not from scratch. This hesitation happens often with cuisines that intimidate me. (Namely, cuisines from cultures I have very little knowledge of.) I’m normally very happy to leave unfamiliar recipes like curries and sushi it to the professionals, but sometimes it’s good to push yourself out of your comfort zone…
Making a recipe from scratch teaches you so much. For me, it also teaches me to appreciate the individual flavors… knowing what goes into a dish, helps me to train my tongue to identify and distinguish each ingredient.
Today we’ll make a masala chai ice cream with a mix of wet and dry ingredients. This intriguing yet light ice cream is a great way to calm the palate and reset your tongue after a spicy or fatty meal.
And if you choose to use black tea in your recipe, the caffeine will add a bit of an energy boost to your dessert.
सुख भोजन
Enjoy!!
Ingredients:
(Makes about a half quart)
1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
3/4 cup whole milk (180 ml)
50 grams sugar + 12 grams sugar (separated)
1 tablespoon (5 grams) Black or Tea loose or in steeping baggies* (See my notes at the bottom about which teas to use for Caffeinated vs. Decaf)
3 whole cloves *
Generous pinch of cinnamon *
1 1/2 tablespoons (about 10 grams) cracked cardamom pods *
½ teaspoon (2 grams) ground or grated ginger (to taste)*
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) salt
4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon (2 grams) medium cracked black peppercorns (not too big or it’s too intense)*
Bowl of ice water
*Add larger quantities of the tea and spices you like for a more intense flavor!
Tools:
Heavy Bottom Pot or Double boiler (Don’t have a Double Boiler? Don’t worry, just place a medium bowl over the top of a pot with a an inch or two of water simmering in the bottom.)
Whisk
Sieve
Large bowl & smaller bowl (ice bath)
Wooden spoon*
Thermometer*
*Ideal, not essential
Instructions:
1. Pour the cream and milk into a heavy-bottom pot or double boiler and set over medium heat.
2. Whisk in 50 grams of sugar, the tea, the cloves, the cinnamon, the cardamom, the ginger, and the salt. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved and steam begins to rise from the top. Remove from the heat, cover with a clean dish towel and let steep for about 15 minutes.
3. While you wait, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Place a smaller bowl into the icy water to chill. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)
4. Strain the dairy mixture into a bowl. Give the solid ingredients in the strainer and extra press to get as much liquid out of them as possible. Discard the solids.
5. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining 12 grams of sugar together in a medium bowl until they are a lighter color (about 2 mins). Add a tablespoon of the dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture. Then add the yolk mixture back into the rest of the dairy mixture and return to medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. (Try to keep the heat at medium-low - under 80 degrees Celsius). The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.
6. Strain the custard into the bowl sitting in the ice bath and stir until it is cool. (about 5 mins)
7. Stir in the cracked peppercorns.
8. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.
9. When you are ready to churn, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire. Once finished, store the ice cream in a pre-chilled, air-tight container and freeze!
This Masala Chai ice cream will keep for about one week.
Notes :
+ Remember, Masala Chai can be either caffeinated or decaffeinated. It depends on the tea you use! For Caffeinated, use a black tea like Assam. For Decaffeinated, try an herbal tea like Tulsi. And if you don't live near a shop that sells loose tea, don't worry. You can simply buy the tea in regular teabags and cut them to remove the tea inside.
+ Black peppercorn adds an interesting dimension to the ice cream, making it a more complex, sophisticated taste. But, it is not necessary for this ice cream if you don't like pepper... (just a little caveat to all the sensitive sneezers out there.)
+ It is important to test the pepper corn size before you add it to the custard. The pepper will be bolder (perhaps more overwhelming) the larger you grind it. And on the opposite end, grinding it too finely will give the pepper a feeble taste that isn't very interesting. As odd as it sounds, try chewing your ground peppercorn on its own before you add it to the custard. If the peppercorn pieces are big enough to feel between your teeth, your grind setting probably too big. (No one likes a surprise pebble in their food). Keep testing your grinding sizes until you find one that feels pleasant on your tongue and between your teeth.
+ Masala Chai ice cream is just like tea... some people it strong while others prefer it lighter. You can intensify or reduce flavor depending on how much of the spices you add and how long you let them steep. If you like a strong Masala Chai flavor, feel free to add larger quantities of the spices and/or let them sit in the mixture for longer before you strain them out. I personally like to add a lot of cardamom and ginger! Or if you like spices like Star Anise (I hate it!) you could add it to the mix as well. This is your ice cream; make it to suite your taste!
+ Topping suggestions: a sprinkling of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, coconut flakes, shortbread cookie crumbles, chopped pistachio, almond, rose, or even garnished with a fluffy madeleine.
Great pairings for Masala Chai:
Almond, Rose, Orange, Orange Blossom, Cardamom, lightly scented pastry/cakes (vanilla, orange, etc), and Coconut!
