The French brought ice cream to Asia, but it took the Asians to make it with ginger. I like it with a double dose, both fresh and candied. Even when made with milk, this is extremely rich ice cream, the best I know how to make. If you would like something a little lighter, add another cup of milk, half-and-half, or cream after making the custard.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 pint

　　2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

　　2 cups milk or half-and-half

　　6 egg yolks

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup minced candied (crystallized) ginger

　　

Step 1

Combine the ginger and milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil, stirring. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes.Meanwhile, with a whisk or an electric mixer, beat the yolks and sugar together until thick and slightly lightened in color.

　　

Step 2

Strain the milk, then stir about 1/2 cup of it into the yolk mixture and beat. Stir the warmed egg mixture back into the milk and return to the pan. Heat, stirring constantly, until thick, 10 minutes longer. The mixture is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn with your finger remains intact.

　　

Step 3

Cool in the refrigerator, then stir in the candied ginger and freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions.

　　

Green Tea Ice Cream

Step 4

Omit the ginger and heat the milk with 1 tablespoon green tea powder (matcha).

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.