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Venchi

Root Beer Float: an American classic with a gourmet twist

Venchi's Root Beer Float tastes like Summer. It pairs the creaminess of vanilla ice cream and root beer with a few surprise ingredients that elevate this classic to new, sophisticated heights. Quick and simple to make, this bubbly sweet treat is a hit with both kids and kids-at-heart.  

How do ice cream and root beer pair so well together?

Root beer floats are a lesson in simplicity. Two ingredients, vanilla ice cream, and root beer, are all that's needed to create a flavor explosion.  

Ice cream and root beer complement each other effortlessly. Where root beer is intense and moody, ice cream is classic and clean. Neither one overpowers the other. That's the secret to the drink's deliciousness.  

Velvety in texture and creamy, ice cream combines well with many intense flavors. It doesn't get much more intense than root beer, usually an aromatic blend of sarsaparilla root, vanilla, licorice, wintergreen, cinnamon, and molasses.  

Root beer floats are famous as much for their taste as for their volcano-like bubbles. It makes kids' eyes light up with delight and reminds adults of their childhoods.  

How does ice cream float? Ice cream, especially gelato, is mainly made of air and cream, both of which are lighter than water. Bubbles are formed when carbonated root beer is combined with airy ice cream, causing carbon dioxide to be released, creating all kinds of frothy goodness.  

 

Venchi Chocolate

Root Beer Float recipe 

You'll want to remember Venchi's Root Beer Float recipe. We've put a modern spin on the classic recipe so that it'll impress even the most sophisticated of food lovers.  

Our special secret? Homemade apple syrup, which pairs unexpectedly well with root beer and ice cream. Yet, if you only have a few minutes to make your float, you can skip this step.  

Unleash your creativity. The flavors of Italian gelato, like chocolate, stracciatella, and caramel-like nougatine, would all be mouth-watering alternatives to the vanilla ice cream most often used.  

Speaking of alternatives, here are some other ice cream drinks, such as chocolate cocktails and champagne ice cream floats, that will be real crowd-pleasers. 

 

Ingredients

For the apple syrup:  

  • 2 cups apple juice or apple cider (must be made from 100% apples) 

  • ¼ cup maple syrup 

  • 2 cinnamon sticks  

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

 

For the root beer float: 

  • 1-2 scoops vanilla bean gelato  

  • 1 can root beer  

  • 1 biscotti (cantucci) biscuit  

  • 2 slices of apple for garnishing  

  • cinnamon for dusting 

 

Method

  1. To make the apple syrup, add the juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan.  

  1. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.  

  1. When the mixture is ready, it should have a syrup-like consistency. To thin it out, add more apple juice. To make it thicker, let it simmer some more.  

  1. Whisk in vanilla extract and let the syrup cool. You can bottle up any excess syrup and store it in the fridge.  

  1. Chill a tall glass for 10-20 minutes. Put the root beer in the fridge.  

  1. When everything's chilled, you're ready to assemble your float.  

  1. Put 1-2 scoops of vanilla gelato at the bottom of the glass.  

  1. Slowly pour in about half the root beer on top of the gelato.  

  1. Be careful that it doesn't spill over the edge.  

  1. For added crunch, crush a biscotti biscuit and add it to the drink.  

  1. Top with more root beer until the glass is full.  

  1. Drizzle some apple syrup on top.  

  1. Sprinkle thin slices of apple with cinnamon. Use them to garnish the drink.  

  1. Serve with a straw and a long spoon. Enjoy!  

 

Nutrition Facts

  • 425 calories (per 1 serving size)  

  • 12g fat  

  • 70g sugar 

  • 5g protein