English Breakfast Ice Cream Is a Revolutionary Idea

Some people drink coffee in the morning. Some people drink tea. Some people eat ice cream. For the latter two, have I got the treat for you. (Coffee fans, you’ll probably still be into this) English Breakfast ice cream is the most delightful way to pay homage to jolly old England while also staying cool. This recipe is truly a winner because you can make it without an ice cream maker. No ice cream maker-ice cream is completely doable with the help of stiff whipped cream, soft sweetened condensed milk, a loaf pan, and a freezer.

Firstly, infuse the cream with English Breakfast tea: Stir 4 tablespoons loose English breakfast tea into 2 cups of cold heavy cream. Cover the mixture with a lid and set in the refrigerator for 8 hours. After 8 hours, taste a bit of the cream—if it tastes well-infused, you’re ready to move onto the next step. If not, stir in 1 more tablespoon of English Breakfast tea, cover, and steep for another 3-4 hours, tasting after each hour.

Just before you think the cream will sufficiently infused, whisk together 1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or the scrapings of ⅔ of a vanilla bean), and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt in a medium bowl. If you want to add a splash of bourbon to the mixture, I’m not going to stop you, because that’s a very good idea. You’re clearly really smart. Set the mixture aside and grab the infused cream from the fridge.

Strain the cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large, cold bowl, pressing on the tea leaves to get out every bit of infused cream.

Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks (hint: if you pull out the beater or the whisk from the cream, you want the cream to stand straight up, like a little plume). Scoop about ⅓ of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture, then slowly fold the mixtures together with a rubber spatula. When the cream is just barely incorporated, fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Pour the mixture into a chilled silicone or metal 8 or 9-inch loaf pan. Chill for 5-7 hours, or until the ice cream is firmly frozen.