Hojicha Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Total Time10 20

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream (500 ml)
6 tablespoons loose hojicha tea leaves (24 grams or 12 tea bags)
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
10 Oreos crushed

Instructions

Combine heavy cream and tea leaves in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. The cream should barely be bubbling. Remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour. Strain tea leaves and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Pour infused cream into bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Add condensed milk and whisk for another 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Set aside 2 tablespoons of crushed Oreos. Add remaining Oreos to ice cream, folding in cookies to combine. Transfer ice cream to a 9x5 inch loaf pan and sprinkle remaining crushed cookies on top. Freeze for at least 5 hours or overnight.

Notes

Use high quality hojicha tea leaves for the best results.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Infuse cream

As tempting as it is to buy an ice cream maker, I never did. Knowing me, if I did own one, I would be making ice cream every week. My pants would not be happy.

This means that if I do decide to make the dessert, I have to go with the no-churn method. Luckily, it's an easy shortcut that doesn't require cooking a custard with milk and eggs. And guys? The result is pretty darn great.

Since this particular no-churn ice cream is flavored with hojicha, we have to take an extra step. We need to infuse the heavy cream with the tea before we can whip it up.

The type of tea you use will make a difference in the result. Try to use high-quality tea leaves if you can. I discovered that tea bags don't deliver the same intensity as the more expensive loose tea leaves. You can still use the tea bags, but you may have to adjust the amount of tea.

Simmer heavy cream with hojicha tea leaves over low heat for 5 minutes - keep the flames on low and make sure not to boil the cream. If you overheat the cream, it can become bitter. Remove the cream from the heat and let it sit for 1 hour.

Step 2: Prepare ice cream

Strain the infused cream, discarding the tea leaves. Then, let it chill for at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight. You need the cream to be cold or else it won't whip properly.

If your kitchen is particularly warm, go ahead and chill the mixing bowl and whisk for 30 minutes before using.

Beat the infused cream in the stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then, add the sweetened condensed milk and beat together until the cream stiffens up again.

While the ice cream is whipping, crush Oreos into small chunks. If you want your hojicha cookies and cream ice cream on the sweeter side, use 12 cookies. I found 10 to be my perfect number, but you can add slightly less or more depending on your preference.

Just remember, the more Oreos, the sweeter the ice cream.

Transfer the ice cream into a 9x5-inch loaf pan or another freezer-safe container and sprinkle extra crushed Oreos on top. As tempting as it is to dive right in, pop the hojicha cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer and let it chill for at least 5 hours.

The second the five hours were up, I immediately grabbed the ice cream and helped myself to two scoops. I absolutely loved the nutty tea flavor paired with the sweet cookies. The hojicha flavor is present but not overwhelming, and the sweetness was just right. The best part? I can help myself to seconds!

Make-ahead and storage

Make-ahead: Since the dessert needs time to chill, it's best to prepare it the day before.
Store: Store the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer. It will keep well for up to 1 month.

Frequently asked questions

What is hojicha and where can I find it?

Hojicha is a type of Japanese green tea that is roasted, giving it a distinct, smoky flavor. You can find hojicha tea leaves at specialty tea shops, Asian grocery stores, or online.

Can I use a different type of tea instead of hojicha?

While hojicha provides a unique flavor, you can experiment with other teas like matcha or Earl Grey. However, the flavor profile will be different.

How do I know when the cream is properly infused with the hojicha flavor?

The cream should have a noticeable hojicha aroma and a light brown color after simmering and steeping for an hour. Taste a small amount to ensure the flavor is to your liking.