Red Bean Ice Cream Azuki Ice Cream Food

AZUKI ICE CREAM (JAPANESE RED BEANS ICE CREAM)

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the azuki beans, 1/3 cup of sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring to a boil, and boil uncovered for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are very tender. When done, the beans and liquid should amount to 3 cups. If not, add more water to compensate.
• Strain the bean mixture through a sieve - I use a wooden paddle for this, and discard the bean skins. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until cold.
• In a saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. While you wait for that to boil, whisk together the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of sugar in a medium bowl. When the cream and milk come to a boil, ladle about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the bowl with the egg yolks, and whisk until smooth. Pour the yolk mixture into the pan with the cream, and cook over low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. This should take about 5 minutes. Do not cook too long, or you will get lumps. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate until cold.
• Once both of the mixtures are cold, stir them together. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

BENIHANA AZUKI RED BEAN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Wash beans, and transfer beans, sugar, lemon juice, and water into a saucepan. Bring to boil, and boil uncovered for 3 minutes.
• Decrease the heat to low and cover the pan, and cook the beans until very tender, adding additional water as needed, 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The beans should be very tender.
• When done, there should be a total of 3 cups beans and liquid. If not enough liquid, add more water to make 3 cups total mixture. If too much water, drain some liquid.
• Let the mixture cool 5 minutes. Strain the bean mixture through a sieve. Discard bean skins left in the sieve.
• Refrigerate the bean mixture 2 - 3 hours until cold.
• Heat the milk and cream to simmer in a saucepan.
• Combine egg yolks, and sugar in a bowl, stirring with a wire whisk. Stir 1/4 cup of the hot cream/milk mixture into the egg/sugar mixture; combine well.
• Transfer the egg/sugar mixture into the milk/cream mixture in the saucepan.
• Place the saucepan over low heat and stir until mixture thickens somewhat, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and refrigerate 2 - 3 hours until cold.
• Combine bean mixture and custard mixture and process according to your ice cream maker instructions.