TEA IN GELATO MAKING
23/04/2025
Carpigiani Gelato University has always been committed to the pursuit of new knowledge, with the aim of experimenting with innovative techniques and creating unique gelato recipes. For this reason, it is constantly seeking out experts in raw materials—people who deeply understand their field, to the point of being able to recognize connections with the world of gelato.
It was with this mindset that the collaboration with Gabriella Scarpa was born. Gabriella is a tea sommelier and instructor at the UK Tea Academy, and she joined us to explore everything there is to know about this extraordinary raw material—still relatively unknown in Italy. We interviewed Gabriella Scarpa, co-instructor of our specialization course "Gelato and tea: infusions, flavors and ideas for new recipes", to learn how her passion for tea began.
What is tea?
Gabriella explains that tea should not be confused with any beverage made by infusing plant material in hot water. The term "tea" refers specifically to the infusion of the leaves of Camellia sinensis. This is the first and most fundamental distinction between tea and herbal infusions.
Tea is divided into six major categories: white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong, black tea, and dark tea. These categories are mainly distinguished by the color of the leaves, which results from the specific processing methods used.
Not all of these types are suitable for making gelato. Gabriella recommends using green teas, oolongs, and black teas, as they offer complex aromatic profiles, good structure, and the strength needed to hold up in a frozen product like gelato. Within these three categories, there's an incredible variety of options—both pure and flavored teas.
Among black teas, Indian Chai is particularly interesting. This spiced black tea, rooted in Indian tradition, is typically infused in milk and sweetened. It's especially well-suited to gelato making and is now part of a growing trend, thanks to its versatility. Being a blend of black tea and various spices, it's highly customizable.
These teas can also be used to flavor syrups, infused in liquids other than water, and incorporated into pastry recipes that pair with gelato, as well as sauces and many other creative applications. The possibilities for experimentation are vast.
Gabriella encourages gelato makers to enjoy working with tea—experimenting, learning the secrets of proper infusion, and aiming to create high-quality products without excessive astringency or bitterness. There's no need for added sugar or lemon—just start with a high-quality tea and treat it with care and intention.
Gabriella’s Journey into the World of Tea
Gabriella shares that the world of tea has never felt foreign to her, thanks to her mother, who is originally from England—a country with a tea culture very different from the Italian one. At home, tea was always present.
«Tea was seen as a moment of conviviality, well-being, and togetherness. I used to drink it in tea bags, with milk, in the afternoon. Later, during my university years, I continued drinking tea while studying, looking for something more unique and gradually moving away from tea bags.
At the time, her hobby was working with ceramics, and she developed a particular passion for Japanese "raku" ceramics. Many "raku" pieces are designed for the tea ceremony, and that opened a window for me into Japanese tea culture—still not very widespread in Italy today.»
From there, a journey of study and curiosity began:
« I started looking for books, courses, anything I could find. But what I found in Italy wasn't enough. So, about ten years ago, I went to London and became a tea sommelier through the UK Tea Academy, studying under Jane Pettigrew». She had already started her training in Italy and had opened a tea room in Treviso, where she served special teas—«teas that need to be talked about» as she puts it. «I then became a certified teacher, because I still felt the need to teach and keep learning. During the Covid period, I began offering courses to certify tea sommeliers, along with consulting, events, and corporate training».
Later, together with her first student, she applied for a female entrepreneurship grant and opened the "Ar Tea Academy" —an in-person, Italian-language tea school located in their tea shop in Venice.
“I also host guided tastings and special events. In recent years, thanks to many collaborations, Ar Tea Academy has continued to grow. Tea is spreading and becoming an excellent alternative for social moments—especially thanks to zero-tolerance driving laws.”
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