Inspired by HEYTEA’s King Jasmine Melon, this gelato combines fragrant jasmine tea and ripe, honeyed melon with small pockets of salty-tangy melon cheese foam gelato.

Jasmine and melon almost melt into one another: the tea’s floral aroma overlaps with the fruit’s perfumed sweetness. The cheese foam interrupts that harmony with occasional creamy, slightly salty bites. For the best flavor and texture, use traditionally scented jasmine tea and a soft, intensely aromatic melon rather than one that is crisp or watery.

Ingredients

Jasmine-Infused Milk:

• 9 g traditionally scented jasmine tea, or this premium jasmine tea for a deeper, more layered aroma
• 40 g hot water
• 400 g whole milk

You will need 215 g of the finished, strained jasmine-infused milk for the gelato. Both tea options work well; the premium tea is optional.

Jasmine Melon Gelato:

• 35 g skim milk powder
• 4 g tapioca starch
• 35 g granulated sugar
• 2.5 g gelatin sheets
• 215 g jasmine-infused milk, prepared above
• 50 g heavy cream
• 15 g light corn syrup
• 240 g ripe, fragrant melon, preferably soft center flesh

Optional Jasmine Sugar:

• 1.5 g jasmine tea
• 8 g granulated sugar

Salted Melon Cheese Foam Gelato:

• 70 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 20 g sweetened condensed milk
• 30 g whole milk
• 8 g light corn syrup
• 0.8 g fine salt
• 45 g heavy cream
• 50 g melon puree

Part 1: Infuse the Jasmine Milk

1. Combine the 9 g jasmine tea with 40 g hot water and steep for 5 minutes. This opens the leaves before the longer cold infusion.

2. Add 400 g whole milk, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Strain thoroughly and measure 215 g of the infused milk for the gelato.

Part 2: Cook and Age the Gelato Base

3. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water. In a saucepan, combine the skim milk powder, tapioca starch, and sugar. Whisk in the 215 g jasmine-infused milk, heavy cream, and corn syrup until smooth.

4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until smooth and only lightly thickened. The starch should be fully hydrated, but the mixture should not become custard-thick. Remove from the heat, squeeze excess water from the gelatin, and stir it into the hot base until dissolved.

5. Cool the cooked base quickly, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Age for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Age the dairy base by itself; do not add the fresh melon yet.

Part 3: Prepare the Melon

6. Choose a very ripe, sweet, aromatic melon with soft, tender flesh. Galia or Japanese-style muskmelon works particularly well. Avoid crisp, fibrous, or watery fruit: the melon’s water content and texture affect the finished gelato.

7. Measure 240 g of the softer center flesh for the main gelato. If your melon has firmer flesh nearer the rind, use that portion for the 50 g puree in the cheese foam; its slightly greener flavor works well with the salt and cream cheese.

8. Optional jasmine sugar: Grind 1.5 g jasmine tea with 8 g sugar to a fine powder. Toss it with the 240 g prepared melon and let stand for about 20 minutes. Include any released juices when you blend the melon into the base.

Part 4: Make the Cheese Foam Base

9. Blend the cream cheese, condensed milk, whole milk, corn syrup, salt, and 50 g melon puree until completely smooth. Add the heavy cream and blend briefly to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. This small batch is meant to create contrasting pockets, rather than a second full-size gelato.

Part 5: Blend and Churn the Main Gelato

10. Get your ice cream machine ready before combining the melon and aged dairy base. If you use a pre-freeze bowl machine, make sure the bowl is completely frozen.

11. Blend the cold, aged dairy base with the 240 g prepared melon until smooth and homogeneous. Include all the juices if you made the optional jasmine sugar. Transfer directly to the machine and begin churning immediately. Do not age fresh melon together with the dairy base or let the blended mixture sit.

12. Churn according to your machine’s instructions until thick, smooth, and soft-serve-like. Transfer the jasmine melon gelato to a chilled container. If using a pre-freeze bowl machine, remove it promptly so the same bowl stays cold enough for the smaller cheese foam batch. A standard freezer-bowl machine or a compressor machine will work.

Part 6: Churn and Assemble the Cheese Foam

13. Pour the thoroughly chilled cheese foam base into the machine and churn until thick and creamy. With a compressor machine, churn it separately after removing the main gelato. With a well-frozen pre-freeze bowl, add the small cheese foam batch immediately after removing the main gelato; do not wash the bowl or leave it at room temperature between batches.

14. Layer jasmine melon gelato in the chilled container, dotting each layer with small spoonfuls of cheese foam gelato. Make only a few gentle passes with a spoon if needed. Keep the cheese foam in distinct pockets and ribbons instead of mixing it through completely. Cover and freeze until set and scoopable.

Recipe Notes & Troubleshooting

Choosing Jasmine Tea

Traditionally scented jasmine tea absorbs fragrance from fresh jasmine blossoms over repeated scenting rounds. Tea quality and the number of rounds influence how deep and persistent the aroma becomes. The everyday tea is sufficient for this recipe; the premium option gives a more layered floral aroma. You do not need the most expensive tea to make good jasmine gelato.

Keep Fresh Melon Out of the Aging Base

The 6-hour or overnight aging period applies only to the cooked dairy base. Fresh melon contributes water, enzymes, and delicate aromas that can change during prolonged contact with dairy. Cook, chill, and age the base first; prepare the melon separately; then blend and churn immediately.

Melon Variety and Texture

Melons differ in sweetness, water content, fiber, and ripeness. Choose soft, dense, fragrant flesh over fruit that is crunchy or watery. The sweeter center flesh gives the main gelato a smoother texture, while firmer outer flesh can work well in the tangy cheese foam.

Choosing an Ice Cream Machine

Fast freezing helps keep ice crystals small in this fruit-forward gelato. A compressor machine is the most consistent choice. A pre-freeze bowl machine also works: freeze its bowl fully according to the manufacturer’s instructions, ideally in a freezer at -18 C / 0 F or colder, and keep both bases refrigerator-cold. A well-frozen bowl should usually have enough capacity to churn the main gelato followed immediately by the small cheese foam batch, though results depend on your machine and freezer.

Keep the Components Distinct

The cheese foam is an accent. Gentle layering gives occasional bites of salty, tangy, creamy melon against the floral main gelato. Fully mixing the components would lose that contrast.

Serving & Storage

Store tightly covered in the freezer. If it becomes firm, let it sit briefly at room temperature before scooping. Like most homemade fruit-forward gelato, it is best enjoyed relatively fresh.

Flavor Profile

Jasmine’s floral fragrance blends almost seamlessly with the honeyed aroma of ripe melon. Small pockets of salted melon cheese foam bring a creamy, tangy contrast, then give way to the fresh jasmine-melon flavor again.