Floating tea and honey.

Tea is a central part of Indian food and culture, but I am one of those Indian-Americans who almost never drinks tea, much to my parents’ bemusement. I think I fell into coffee too early.

One of my friends suggested I try an Earl Grey ice cream. I paired it with honey instead of sugar, and while you can find any number of similar recipes online, this one is sure to please.

Erika’s Earl Grey and Honey

2 cups cream

2 cups milk

¼ cup earl grey tea

pinch of salt

½ cup honey

3 egg yolks

Whisk to combine cream, 1 cup milk, honey, salt, and tea in a medium pot. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes, but do not let it boil. Once the mixture is hot, remove from heat and cover for thirty minutes.

Whisk three egg yolks in a medium bowl. It’s OK if there are some traces of egg white — no need to be a perfectionist — but try to minimize that. Pour the remaining cup of milk into a large bowl, then place a strainer above it.

Reheat the dairy mixture. Once the mixture is warm, slowly ladle about a cup into the egg yolks, whisking with one hand while ladling with the other to temper the yolks.

Once complete, transfer the yolk mixture to the pot, and then return to medium heat. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom at times. Once the custard is thick enough to slightly coat the back of the spatula (another sign: you will start to notice that scraping the bottom of the pot encounters some solid residue), remove from heat and pour through the strainer into the bowl. It may be helpful to use a fork or whisk to speed up the straining out of the tea leaves.

Place the bowl in an ice bath to cool for thirty minutes (if you’re too lazy, it’s ok to just do this on the counter). Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least two hours before churning. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, then freeze for eight hours.