• Stories
    Stories

Rooibos-infused Panna Cotta Recipe

Posted on Tue December 6, 2022.

We are excited to share one of our favourite summer recipes with you - a light and creamy Panna Cotta that we regularly serve to guests at the lodge. Below, you will find the recipe for this beautifully light dessert. We hope you enjoy bringing the South African flavours of Shumbalala Game Lodge into your kitchen this festive season.

ROOIBOS-INFUSED PANNA COTTA RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 125 ml freshly brewed strong Rooibos espresso tea
  • 50 g light brown sugar
  • 375 ml fresh cream
  • 2 tsp gelatin powder

Rooibos Syrup

  • 5 Tbsp strong brewed rooibos tea
  • 110 g sugar
  • 50 ml honey

Method

  • Pour the rooibos and sugar into a saucepan on medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
  • Stir in the cream and bring the temperature down to a low heat.
  • While the cream mixture is gently heating up, pour 2 tsp water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top, so that it’s completely covered in water. Let this rest for about 5 minutes or until gelatin has completely softened.
  • When the cream mixture is about to boil (when it starts to bubble around the edges) take the saucepan off the heat.
  • Take 1/2 cup of cream mixture and mix into the softened gelatin and stir to dissolve completely.
  • Add this 1/2 cup cream back into the remaining cream in the saucepan and whisk to mix thoroughly.
  • Pour the mixture into a set of ramekins or glasses and let them rest in the fridge overnight, until set.
  • Rooibos syrup - In a small pot add 5 Tbsp of brewed rooibos, sugar & honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the syrup in a jar and set aside to pour over the panna cottas when you serve them :) Enjoy!

We look forward to welcoming you to Shumbalala Game Lodge in the near future.

Further Reading

What To Pack For A Safari: A Seasonal Guide From Shumbalala Game Lodge Wed May 13, 2026

There is something wonderfully satisfying about packing for a safari. Long before you arrive at the airstrip you begin preparing. Choosing what to bring. What to leave behind. What this trip will need from you. A safari is not the kind of holiday that rewards over-packing. Dust settles on boots quickly here; the same jacket becomes familiar by the second morning drive. The bush asks for less, not more. A few well-chosen...

Read This Article
The art of noticing: What the bush teaches you to see Thu April 2, 2026

At first, safari is about what you see. A lion in the grass, an elephant at the water’s edge, a leopard draped across the branch of a tree. These are the moments you arrive hoping for — the ones you’ve imagined long before setting foot in the bush. They are striking, immediate, and unforgettable in their own right. But over time, something begins to shift. It becomes less about what you see,...

Read This Article
Pangolin Conservation in the Greater Kruger: Walking them back to the wild Fri March 6, 2026

For many guests visiting the Greater Kruger, seeing a pangolin is the ultimate wish. It’s rare — and that rarity is part of what makes it so special. Now and then, we hear from a guest who has been fortunate enough to witness one. Danielle, who stayed with us in 2022, was among the lucky few. Most pangolins moving through this landscape are just that — wild, free, and wonderfully elusive. But...

Read This Article