N2IceCream Lab, South Africa’s first liquid nitrogen ice cream store, is officially open for business at the Emporium shopping centre in Parklands, Cape Town. The concept of using liquid nitrogen to freeze ice cream has enjoyed enormous success overseas for quite some time and locally NitroCreamy, a market stall at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, also use liquid nitrogen in the making of their ice cream delights. N2IceCream Lab will be the first permanent store using this method though.

So why use liquid nitrogen? Owner Marija Groenewald explains: “liquid nitrogen is so cold and freezes so fast that it reduces the size of ice crystals which form ice cream. Smaller ice crystals create smoother ice cream.”

Staying true to their theme of “tasty chemistry”, the N2IceCream Lab employs a team of “brr-isters” who wear white lab coats and protective gloves to prepare the ice cream as the orders come in.  The ice cream is prepared with locally sourced full fat milk, vanilla essence, sugar, cream and a “special secret ingredient”, says Groenewald. “We do not use emulsifiers, additives, preservatives or any other artificial ingredients.”

Ice cream preparation at N2Ice Cream

They currently offer four flavours: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and a flavour of the week. There are also ten toppings to choose from.  “This is real ice cream, and it tastes amazing,” enthuses Groenewald.