Chik's Crib: March 2017

21 March 2017

Paddy Hills

Review March 21, 2017 0

Words by Miss XS

Paddy Hills, one of the new additions to the cafe scene in the West, has created quite a sensation on Instagram and Facebook for its photogenic dishes. It's nested among the private estate with limited parking and isn't the most convenient to get to, so it's a little surprising to find that the cafe is fully occupied on a weekday afternoon.

07 March 2017

Matcha Ice Cream Recipe

Recipe March 07, 2017 0

If you've never made ice cream before, this is the recipe for you.

One sticking point for me whenever I churn a batch of ice cream is preparing the custard. Heating up egg yolks until to the point of just-so is daunting at the best of times, and it's always a bit of a stress to avoid overheating the yolks and turning everything into a broken grainy mess.

Luckily, this recipe from Namiko takes eggs out of the equation. With just cream, milk sugar and matcha powder, it really couldn't be easier. The sole time this recipe didn't turn out as planned was when I engaged in some creative calculation (oops) when mixing the ingredients. Don't be blur like me.

Matcha Ice Cream Recipe

Original recipe by Namiko Chen

Ingredients

240 ml (1 cup) whole milk

240 ml (270g, 1 cup) heavy cream

3 Tbsp (9 heaping teaspoon) green tea (matcha) powder

100g sugar

Pinch of salt (about 1/16 tsp.)

Steps

1) In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, sugar and salt. (Do not cut down on sugar. Really. Namiko is Japanese and knows how matcha desserts should taste like. I'll strangle a puppy for every gram you didn't add.)

2) Set the saucepan over medium heat, and add matcha powder. Whisk vigorously until combined. (It's tempting to use a spatula, but don't do it. No, not even a silicone spatula. Think of the puppies! A whisk breaks up the clots of matcha powder much better than a spatula ever could.)

3) Turn off the fire and remove from heat just as the mixture foams, and before it starts boiling. Let the mixture cool. You may find it helpful to sit the saucepan in a large bowl filled with water/ice mixture. Even just tap water is fine. Once the mixture cools, refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until chilled thoroughly.

4) Churn the ice cream according to the manufacture's instructions (about 20 minutes).

5) Transfer the soft ice cream into an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.