Blood Orange and Rooibos Sorbet

I am CRAZY about ice cream and sorbet, so I’m always brainstorming what delicious tea flavored ice cream I will make next. I can’t even begin to tell you how good this blood orange and Rooibos sorbet tastes! Such a simple recipe and such an amazing result.

Trust me when I say simple, but even more so when I say delicious! Blood orange and Rooibos is a tested and approved combo, but I bet you haven’t seen it in sorbet form!!!

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I love making ice creams and sorbet from scratch, that’s why I got a churning attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. It makes such a difference! If you’re seriously into making ice cream I recommend you to get an ice cream maker because it makes such a difference in the ice cream’s texture.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker and don’t want to purchase one, you can definitely do this one and many other ice cream and sorbet recipes anyway with the technique I’ll describe below.

What is Rooibos?

Rooibos is not technically a tea because it doesn’t come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. It is a South African native herb (naturally caffeine-free) that when harvested and dried can be brewed into a reddish-brown herbal infusion and is packed with antioxidants.

It is processed in a similar way as tea that comes from Camellia Sinensis plant and South Africa is the only country in the world that produces it. Its infusion is full-bodied, rich and has a honey-sweet flavor with notes of dried cherries and vanilla. Works great in vanilla, almond, caramel blends as well as fruity ones. It can be enjoyed with milk or on its own.

Here are some of my favorite Rooibos and blends for you to try:

Vainilla Rooibos
Rooibos
Rooibos
Almond Rooibos

The Rooibos and blood orange combination is widely used in blends because the tart/citrusy blood orange flavor complements well the honey/vanilla notes of Rooibos. So why not make a sorbet out of it?!

Rooibos Simple Syrup

Simple syrups are extremely easy to make and have many different uses like sweetening cocktails, iced teas and cold beverages (because the sugar is already diluted). They are also used for baking, moistening cake layers, making glazes, even marinades, and sorbets!

The classic recipe is 1 part hot water and 1 part of sugar but it can be modified to incorporate additional flavors like spices, teas, flowers, fruits or even vegetables. Generally, when using teas or dried herbs, I recommend using a ratio of 1 part water, 1 part sugar and 4 teabags/2-3 tbsp loose leaves, but depending on what you’re using the simple syrup for, this ratio might slightly change.

For this sorbet recipe, I add the Rooibos flavor in a simple syrup. I made this by bringing water, Rooibos leaves and sugar to a boil, then I reduced the heat to low to let simmer for 5-10 minutes. After this simmer steep, I removed the syrup from the heat and strained the tea leaves.

Simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for two weeks up to a month, depending on the additional ingredients you use. Simple syrups made with dried herbs (but strained!) will last longer than a simple syrup made with fresh fruit puree.

What If I Don’t Have an Ice Cream Maker?

Please don’t stop from making this blood orange and Rooibos sorbet recipe if you don’t have an ice cream maker! What an ice cream maker does is it aerates the mixture and keeps the ice crystals small for a smoother finished product. Basically, it improves the ice cream and sorbet’s texture. But you can surely make ice cream and sorbets without it too.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you’ll have to freeze your finished mixture in a large sheet lined with parchment paper. Once it’s completely frozen, you need to break it into pieces and blend in a food processor (in separate batches, if needed). Ideally, you would repeat this process once more. After processing, you can serve immediately or freeze in a container and remove from the freezer a few minutes before serving to let it soften a bit.

Either way, the flavor will be the same and it’s such a good one!

But still, if you’re serious about making ice cream & sorbet I recommend you to get an ice cream maker because it makes a huge difference in the ice cream’s texture.

I really hope you enjoy this blood orange and Rooibos sorbet recipe as much as I do and please let me know how much you liked it if you do make it! Share and tag me on Instagram -> @teacachai.

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