Gaggan's Umami Dream: Savory Sea Essence Ice Cream (Home Style)

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and dried kombu. Heat over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer, but do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let the kombu steep for 15-20 minutes to infuse its subtle sea flavor.

While the kombu steeps, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp sea salt until pale and creamy.

Remove the kombu from the milk mixture and discard. Reheat the milk mixture gently until warm.

Slowly temper the egg yolk mixture by whisking in about half a cup of the warm milk mixture, one ladle at a time, to gradually raise the temperature of the yolks without scrambling them.

Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (reaching about 175-180°F or 80-82°C). Do not let it boil.

Remove from heat and immediately strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure a smooth texture. Stir in the white miso paste and dashi powder until fully dissolved.

Place the bowl over an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water) and stir occasionally until the custard is completely chilled, about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, cover the bowl with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight, until very cold.

Once thoroughly chilled, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually 20-30 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2-3 hours to firm up before serving. For best results, serve within a few days.