My neighbor brought jasmine tea ice cream to a dinner party once and I spent an embarrassing amount of time asking where she’d bought it. Homemade, she said, which I didn’t believe until she walked me through how brief the process actually is. The jasmine steeps into the cream base for ten minutes, then gets strained out, and that floral note stays behind in the custard. Feuilletine on top if you can find it. Worth tracking down.
How to Make Jasmine and White Chocolate Ice Cream
Steeping the tea
Ten minutes is the baseline; fifteen gives you a more forward jasmine flavor. Don’t go beyond that or the tea turns slightly bitter. Strain thoroughly so no leaves end up in the finished custard.
Adding the white chocolate
Chop the white chocolate finely so it melts evenly into the hot base. Good-quality white chocolate matters here since cheap varieties can taste waxy and don’t melt as smoothly. 
Jasmine and White Chocolate Ice Cream
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
A fragrant jasmine tea ice cream swirled with white chocolate.
Topped with crunchy feuilletine for the perfect ending.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) milk
- 1.25 cups (296 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbs + 1 tsp cornstarch
- 0.67 cups (158 ml) sugar
- 2 tbs corn syrup
- 1.5 ounces (42 g) cream cheese
- pinch of salt
- 0.25 cups (59 ml) jasmine tea leaves
- 4 ounces (113 g) white chocolate
Instructions
- Stir two tablespoons of milk with cornstarch in a bowl.
- Put cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Add jasmine tea leaves and turn off the heat.
- Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain out tea leaves using a sieve and return mixture to the pan over medium heat.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry to remove lumps.
- Lower heat and whisk in cornstarch slurry, then increase heat to medium-high, whisking constantly.
- Bring to a boil and stir with a spatula until slightly thickened (about 1 minute).
- Remove from heat.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese and salt until smooth.
- Cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
- Pour ice cream base into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions (approximately 20 minutes).
- Chop white chocolate.
- Melt chocolate and drizzle into ice cream maker while churning, or chop into small bits and add.
- Churn for 30 seconds more, pour into a container, and freeze for at least 2 hours.
- Serve with financiers or feuilletine.
Notes
- For a stronger jasmine flavor, steep the tea leaves for 15 minutes instead of 10.
- To prevent ice crystals, make sure the ice cream base is completely chilled before churning.
- Leftover ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 40
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 40
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of jasmine tea should I use?
Loose leaf jasmine green tea works best. Avoid jasmine tea bags, which tend to have weaker flavor and can leave a papery taste. You want about a quarter cup of loose leaves for good infusion.
Can I skip the white chocolate?
You could, but the white chocolate provides body and sweetness that shapes the entire flavor profile. Without it, you would essentially have jasmine tea ice cream, which is good but a different recipe.
Do I need an ice cream maker?
Yes, for best results. After you prepare and chill the base, churn it according to your machine’s instructions. Without a machine, you can try the freeze-and-stir method every 30 minutes, though the texture will not be as smooth.
