Afternoon Tea & Desserts
English Breakfast Tea Jelly with Milk Ice Cream & Garden Herbs
This elegant dessert balances the deep, tannic notes of premium English Breakfast tea with the clean, silky sweetness of a simple milk ice cream. Accented with vibrant poached rhubarb and fresh garden lemon balm, it offers a sophisticated interplay of temperature, acidity, and texture.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Per serving
- 420 kcal
Method
Prepare the milk ice cream. Combine the milk, 100g of sugar, and the mint sprig in a saucepan. Heat to 80°C (176°F), then remove from heat and let infuse for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, stir in the double cream, and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Once cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. If you do not have a machine, pour into a shallow tray, freeze, and whisk every 30 minutes for 3 hours to break up crystals.
Make the tea jelly. Soak the gelatin leaves in a bowl of ice-cold water for 5-10 minutes until soft. Heat 500ml of filtered water to exactly 90°C (194°F). Add the tea leaves and steep for exactly 4 minutes to ensure a clean, tannic profile without bitterness. Strain the tea through a muslin cloth or fine-mesh sieve into a clean jug. Stir in 40g of sugar and the squeezed-out gelatin leaves until dissolved. Pour into a lined square container so the liquid is 2cm deep. Chill for at least 4 hours until set.
Poach the rhubarb. Place the rhubarb batons, remaining 20g of sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 5-8 minutes until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. Remove from heat and cool in the syrup.
Assembly. Cut the set tea jelly into 2cm cubes. Arrange 4-5 cubes on each chilled plate. Place 3-4 batons of rhubarb alongside. Add a generous scoop of the milk ice cream in the center. Garnish with toasted almond flakes for crunch and fresh lemon balm leaves for a citrusy herbal finish.
Notes
Use a digital thermometer for the tea; water that is boiling (100°C) will scald the English Breakfast leaves and create a bitter aftertaste.
To get perfectly clean jelly cubes, dip your knife in hot water before each cut.
The milk ice cream is intentionally 'clean'—avoid adding vanilla as it will overpower the delicate tea notes.
If rhubarb is out of season, slightly tart macerated raspberries or blackberries work beautifully as an acidic substitute.
