If you’re looking for a dessert that feels like a warm hug but eats like a dream, you’ve found it. Our Rooibos Vanilla Gelato takes the earthy, honeyed notes of wild South rooibos and marries them with the creamy, floral depth of real vanilla bean.

Unlike standard ice cream, which leans heavily on cream and air, this gelato recipe uses a higher milk-to-cream ratio. This results in a denser, silkier texture that allows the complex, woody aromatics of the rooibos to truly shine through without being masked by heavy fats.

Recipe

Prep time: 4 hours + | Makes 400-500ml

Ingredients

• 4g     rooibos gemaalcha (rooibos powder/milled rooibos) Khoisan grade
• 1g     vanilla bean powder
• 350ml     whole milk
• 35g   double cream
• 70g     granulated demerara sugar
• 20g     milk powder
• 1.2g     xanthan gum

Optional garnishes: grated chocolateand a dusting of rooibos powder.

Instructions

1. Prepare your ice cream maker and freezer container: Place the mixing bowl of the ice cream maker and your final gelato container in the freezer to cool the day before.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the rooibos powder, vanilla bean powder, demerara sugar, milk powder and xanthan gum.
3. Heat the liquid: In a medium pan, combine both whole milk and double cream and heat to around 80°C.
4. Incorporate Solids: Whisk the dry mixture into the hot milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened (about 1-2 minutes).
5. Cool and Mature (Crucial for Xanthan): Remove from heat. For the best texture, place the mixture in an ice bath to cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally 24 hours.
6. Churn: Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it holds its shape (usually 20-30 mins).
7. Freeze: Transfer the gelato to your final container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.
8. Garnish and serve: with the grated chocolate and a dusting of rooibos powder. Serve immediately.