Sobacha Sundae

Name: Sobacha Sundae
Prep time: 30 s
Cook time: 60 s
Total time: 1440 s
Yield: 1
Ingredients: FOR THE SOBACHA ICE CREAM; Egg yolks; Sugar; Salt; Heavy cream; Sobacha tea; FOR THE OKINAWA BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL; Okinawa brown sugar; Sugar; Water; Glucose; Unsalted butter; Heavy cream; Salt; FOR THE TONKA BEAN MARSHMALLOW; Sugar; Glucose; Egg whites; Water; Gelatin; Salt; Tonka beans

10 Jun 2025

Margarita Kallas-Lee

Chef

Difficulty

Challenge

Total Time

24H 0MIN

Ingredients

FOR THE SOBACHA ICE CREAM

Egg yolks: 12

Sugar: 888 g

Salt: 9 g

Heavy cream: 1 gallon

Sobacha tea: 75 g

FOR THE OKINAWA BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL

Okinawa brown sugar: 100 g

Sugar: 100 g

Water: 57 g

Glucose: 7 g

Unsalted butter: 42 g

Heavy cream: 170 g

Salt: 2 g

FOR THE TONKA BEAN MARSHMALLOW

Sugar: 230 g

Glucose: 340 g

Egg whites: 120 g

Water: 125 ml

Gelatin: 1 sheet

Salt: 1/2 tsp

Tonka beans: 2 g (grated)

A toasty, creamy sundae layered with sobacha ice cream, Okinawa brown sugar caramel, and a soft tonka bean marshmallow. A study in balance, warmth, and texture.

How to make a Sobacha Sundae

01.

Make the Sobacha Ice Cream

Heat the cream, sobacha tea, and salt to 190°F.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the sugar and continue whisking until pale yellow.
Slowly temper the yolk mixture with the hot cream while whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the pot and heat to 180°F.
Let the ice cream base rest overnight in the fridge.
Strain and spin the following day.

02.

Make the Okinawa Brown Sugar Caramel

Let the butter come to room temperature.
Combine both sugars, water, glucose, and salt in a saucepan and heat to 255°F.
Slowly add the cream, return to a boil, and whisk in the butter in small portions until smooth.

03.

Make the Tonka Bean Marshmallow

Heat the sugar, glucose, salt, tonka bean, and water to 240°F.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
Bloom the gelatin.
Slowly stream the hot syrup into the egg whites while mixing on high.
Add the bloomed gelatin and continue mixing until the marshmallow is glossy and voluminous.

04.

Finish and Assemble

Scoop sobacha ice cream into a serving dish.
Spoon a layer of Okinawa brown sugar caramel over the base.
Top with a quenelle or toasted disc of tonka bean marshmallow.
Garnish with a dusting of grated tonka bean or edible gold if desired.

10 Jun 2025

The Chef

Margarita Kallas-Lee is the executive pastry chef and co-owner of Scratch Restaurants Group, where she leads the dessert programs across 26 restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Pasta|Bar and the acclaimed Sushi by Scratch Restaurants.

Born in Latvia and raised on her grandparents’ farm, Kallas-Lee’s early relationship with food was rooted in family, storytelling, and a deep sense of seasonality. After moving to the U.S. as a teenager, she spent several years working as a successful model—but always returned to the kitchen. In 2011, she left fashion behind for good and stepped into her first professional kitchen at D’Cache in Toluca Lake as a pastry chef.

The following year, a chance reconnection with high school friend Phillip Frankland Lee led to marriage and an even deeper creative partnership. In 2013, the couple opened Scratch|Bar & Kitchen, laying the foundation for what would become the Scratch Restaurants Group.

Known for her precise, imaginative approach, Kallas-Lee builds each dessert from scratch—often with hyper-seasonal ingredients, unexpected textures, and a subtle sense of play. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including an Eater “Young Guns” nod, and appearances at major culinary events like Pebble Beach Food & Wine, where she once served smoked banana ice cream topped with caviar.

As Scratch Restaurants expands, Kallas-Lee remains focused on creating desserts that are expressive, original, and always evolving.

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