Earl Grey Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (11 g) cornstarch
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon (1.5 oz, 31 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cup (313 ml) heavy cream
• 2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
• 1/8 cup (30 ml) corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 15 g loose-leaf Earl Grey tea leaves

Instructions

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth. Set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar and corn syrup. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add tea leaves and stir to combine. Allow leaves to steep at room temperature for one hour. Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Pour the base into the sieve and discard tea leaves. Press on the tea leaves to extract as much of the flavor as possible. Discard the tea leaves.
3. Return milk mixture to heat and bring to a boil; cook about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture through the sieve, into the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Whisk in salt.
4. Set the bowl in the ice water bath, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 20 minutes. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to fully chill, at least 2 hours.
5. Chill the mixture thoroughly, at least 8 hours or overnight. Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place plastic or parchment over ice cream to prevent ice crystals, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.