Rhubarb Ice Cream

We’ve been getting weekly deliveries of rhubarb in our weekly produce box. The usual baked crisps we make with strawberries have been a hit, and I even tried making a syrup to mix into sparkling water. But this ice cream really stood out.

After a particular delicious cup of rhubarb gelato from SOMA chocolatemaker down the street from my office, I kept thinking about how to recreate it. I found this recipe Extracting the rhubarb flavour is done by making a compote with a bit of sugar, cooking it gently until it breaks down, releasing all of its juices and colour. Pureeing it breaks down all of the stringy fibres.

The custard is straightforward, with a 2:1 ratio of cream to milk, and two yolks plus an egg. I skipped the vanilla. Also, I deferred the straining of the egg and dairy mixture until after I combined it with the compote.

Some rhubarbs are quite intense in colour, but mine was not. Just before churning, I added a few tablespoons of leftover, pulverized, freeze-dried strawberries. This boosted the pink colour without adding too much of its flavour.

What a wonderful ice cream this is, sweet and tangy at the same time with a unique tartness that is quite different than lemon. I love the egg-less Philadelphia variations, but the richness of a classic custard-base ice cream can’t be beat.