Tequila orange ice cream anyone? Moonshine's 'spirited' desserts take off

What could be better than a decadently rich ice cream? How about a decadently rich ice cream with a splash of booze? That’s the inspiration that drove Laszlo Bene and Willem Steenkamp to develop their range of “spirited” ice creams, called Moonshine.

“We both love food – creating it and eating it,” says Laszlo. Ice cream is a particular favourite, which is why the friends – both of whom have backgrounds in the media and communications industries – decided to experiment with adding a dash of their favourite tipple.

Easier said than done, however. Although making ice cream is a well-entrenched hobby for Willem – one he has indulged for 25 years – creating an alcohol infusion is no simple task, as alcohol a­ffects the freezing process. Not that the pair were deterred.

“We played around for a while, and when we finally nailed the recipe, we saw that our friends reacted well to it,” Laszlo recalls.

 “We picked the Moonshine name because it says what the product is, and because it’s a little outlaw. Our glass jar packaging, and our retro, rockabilly look and feel, flowed naturally from that.”

This brand, which was dreamed up by Laszlo, has been an instant hit with consumers, who love the unique flavours and the ice cream’s rich texture, as well as the high-quality, sustainable glass packaging.

Meanwhile, “mad scientist” Willem continues to work on the flavours. “This is a long, tedious process. We wanted to create original, three-dimensional flavours that are unique to our brand and set Moonshine apart from any other premium brands.”

To date, these include tequila orange cinnamon, chocolate chilli vodka, Irish co­ffee, vodka-infused vanilla and salted mealie brandy.

The duo uses only natural flavours, with no artificial colourings, preservatives, thickeners or stabilisers – as Laszlo says, “just proper, old school dairy ice cream with a twist”.

Just one year after its entry on the ice cream scene, Moonshine has been snapped up by a number of national retailers and Gauteng restaurants – but Willem and Laszlo have their sights set on expanding their icy empire further still, ensuring the brand is available throughout South African before moving on to international territories next year.

• For more information, call 072 272 2596 or visit moonshineicecream.co.za

This article was originally published in the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guide. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za