Thai Tea Ice Cream with Toasted Coconut Recipe
This Thai Tea Ice Cream recipe offers a creamy, aromatic frozen dessert infused with the bold flavors of traditional Thai tea. Combining rich sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and a bright orange tea infusion, this no-churn ice cream is easy to make at home and garnished with toasted coconut flakes for added texture and tropical flair.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: About 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Base
- ½ cup Thai tea mix
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Ice Cream Mixture
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
Garnish
- ½ cup coconut flakes (unsweetened, toasted)
Instructions
- Steep Tea: Combine the Thai tea mix, whole milk, and ½ cup heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to steam and turns a bright orange color, being careful not to let the milk solids burn at the bottom.
- Strain Tea: Pour the hot tea mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the tea leaves to extract as much liquid as possible. Alternatively, strain using cheesecloth for a cleaner infusion. Some tiny flecks of tea in the liquid are acceptable.
- Add Sweetened Condensed Milk and Vanilla: Stir the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla paste or extract into the strained tea mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Chill and Whip Cream: Place a stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Whip the remaining 1½ cups of heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, ensuring a light, airy texture for the ice cream.
- Fold Cream Into Tea Mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the Thai tea mixture in two batches, carefully combining without deflating the whipped cream to maintain a fluffy consistency.
- Freeze the Ice Cream: Transfer the combined mixture to a loaf or cake pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for at least 6 hours or until solid.
- Toast Coconut Flakes: In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the coconut flakes while stirring frequently until they become lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Serve: Scoop the frozen Thai tea ice cream into bowls or cones and garnish with the toasted coconut flakes for added crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Use high-quality Thai tea mix for the best authentic flavor.
- Be careful not to overheat the tea mixture to avoid burning milk solids which can impact the taste.
- Chilling the mixer bowl and whisk helps achieve stiff peaks faster and better.
- Folding whipped cream gently is important to keep the ice cream fluffy and light.
- This recipe requires no ice cream maker; it is a simple no-churn method.
- Keep the ice cream covered tightly while freezing to prevent freezer burn and ice crystals formation.
- Toasting the coconut flakes just before serving guarantees a fresh, crisp topping.
Keywords: Thai tea ice cream, no churn ice cream, Thai dessert, homemade ice cream, toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk
