Make your own Refreshing Tea infused Ice cream, Perfect for Braais

Making Ice-cream at Home

Rooibos tea ice cream

Rooibos tea ice cream is a delightful and unique South African dessert, perfect for hot days or any time you crave a refreshing treat. Here's a simple recipe to make this delicious ice cream at home:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4-5 rooibos tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose rooibos tea)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream, whole milk, and sugar over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture is hot and steaming, but not boiling. Remove from heat.
2. Add the rooibos tea bags or loose rooibos tea to the milk mixture. Let it steep for about 30 minutes to infuse the rooibos flavor. The longer you steep, the stronger the rooibos taste will be.
3. After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain the mixture to remove the loose tea leaves, leaving you with a rooibos-infused milk mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are pale and slightly thickened.
5. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot rooibos-infused milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the yolks and prevent them from curdling.
6. Gradually pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly.
7. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This custard base should reach a temperature of about 170°F (77°C). Do not let it boil.
8. Once the custard base is ready, remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
9. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to chill completely.
10. Once the custard is chilled, churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
11. Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for a few hours or until firm.
12. Serve the delicious Rooibos Tea Ice Cream on its own or with your favorite toppings and enjoy the unique and refreshing taste of South Africa's iconic tea in frozen form!

There are a few things you can use instead of an ice cream mixer. Here are a few options:

1. A food processor: This is a great option if you don't have an ice cream maker but do have a food processor. Simply add your ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
2. A blender: This is another option if you don't have an ice cream maker. Simply add your ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
3. This is a more manual option, but it can be effective. Simply add your ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. This will take some time and effort, but it's a great way to make ice cream if you don't have any other options.
4. A hand mixer: This is a good option if you want something that's a little more powerful than a whisk. Simply add your ingredients to a bowl and mix until smooth. This will take less time and effort than whisking, but it's still a manual process.
5. A fork: If you don't have any of the above, you can pour the chilled custard base into a lidded container and place it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, stir the mixture vigorously with a fork to break up any ice crystals until it reaches the desired ice cream consistency. Repeat this process for about 3-4 hours.

No matter which method you choose, be sure to freeze your ice cream mixture for at least 4 hours before churning. This will help to create a smooth and creamy texture.

Here are some additional tips for making ice cream without an ice cream maker:

• Use a high-fat content cream or milk. This will help to create a richer and creamier ice cream.
• Use sugar. This will help to prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard.
• If tea is not your thing, add flavorings. You can add any flavor you like to your ice cream. Some popular flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip.

Be patient. It takes time for ice cream to freeze properly. Be patient and don't try to rush the process.

Options

What Teas can I use?

A variety of teas can be used to make ice cream, each offering unique flavors and aromas. Here are some popular tea options to use in ice cream:

• Black Tea: Classic black tea, such as Earl Grey or English Breakfast, adds a rich and robust flavor to ice cream.
• Green Tea: Green tea ice cream is a popular Asian dessert, known for its light and refreshing taste.
• Matcha: Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder and is commonly used to make vibrant and flavorful ice cream.
• Chai Tea: Chai tea ice cream incorporates the warm and aromatic spices found in traditional chai blends.
• Honeybush: Honeybush tea,  has a naturally sweet with honey flavor, making it a delightful choice for ice cream.
• Herbal Teas: Herbal teas like chamomile, peppermint, lavender, or hibiscus can be used to create unique and floral-infused ice cream flavors.
• White Tea: Delicate and subtly sweet, white tea can add a gentle flavor to ice cream.
• Oolong Tea: Oolong tea has a range of flavors from floral to fruity, making it a versatile choice for ice cream recipes.
• Jasmine Tea: Fragrant jasmine tea imparts a floral aroma and subtle sweetness to ice cream.

When using tea to make ice cream, you can either steep the tea leaves in the milk or cream to infuse the flavor or incorporate tea extracts or powders. It's essential to strain the mixture to remove any tea leaves or particles before churning the ice cream. Additionally, you can customize the sweetness of the ice cream by adjusting the amount of sugar or sweeteners used in the recipe. Experimenting with different teas and flavor combinations can lead to exciting and delicious frozen treats!

Another great way to add flavor: Just add to taste directly to your milk mixture the powdered Cappuccino, Latte, Coffees, and Chocolate sachets.  Hug in a Mug, Nestle, and Kenco are my favorites, the options are endless.

This page is dedicated to my best friend Fiona loves Ice Cream so much that when we travel our most frequent besides comfort breaks is looking for Ice Cream Parlours. FB @Dreamescapeswithfiona 

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