Featured Comment:
“I made this about a month ago… and it was BEYOND fantastic. You’ve made me something of a living legend in a family and extended family of die hard rhubarb devotees. They are demanding I make it again for 4th of July. And of course I will… with GREAT PLEASURE.” ~Cleareyed
Rhubarb Ice Cream is a throwback to simpler times when you made your own frozen treats every summer with ingredients you grew yourself. But even if you don’t have a backyard patch or a rhubarb-sharing neighbor, grab a few stalks from the produce aisle, this is too good to miss!
Rhubarb makes a fabulous ice cream flavor
Rhubarb is famously tangy, and that actually helps the flavor shine through in this creamy rubarb ice cream (you can taste a similar effect in my fresh lemon ice cream). The perfect soft pink color comes from several stalks of rhubarb sliced and cooked down into a thick compote, it takes just a few minutes on the stove. After chilling I fold into a classic vanilla custard ice cream base. It churns up into the prettiest summer ice cream you’ve ever seen. Oh, and definitely steal a taste while it’s churning, that’s one of the best perks of making your own.
rhubarb ice cream recipe starts with fresh rhubarb…
- RHUBARB
- It’s actually a vegetable, but we tend to use it as a fruit in cooking. You can see it looks like celery, even though the two aren’t related at all. You can eat the stalks raw, but they’re suuuuuper tart (not recommended,) so most of the time we cook it with sugar and make it into amazing desserts. Rhubarb’s a hardy perennial that grows almost like a weed in many parts of the country, so you might well have some growing nearby. Note: You can use red, pink, or green rhubarb in this recipe, it won’t matter for the flavor, but the darker your rhubarb, the prettier your ice cream will be.
- MILK AND CREAM
- the combination produces the best ice cream texture.
- EGGS
- this is a custard based ice cream recipe, and the eggs provide a rich texture and flavor to the finished product.
- SUGAR
- a little is necessary to counter the tart rhubarb. Feel free to use a substitute of your choice.
- LEMON JUICE
- this reinforces that famous rhubarb twang we love!
- VANILLA
- use extract, vanilla bean paste, or the seeds of a vanilla bean.
How to make old fashioned rhubarb ice cream
- It starts with cooking the rhubarb. Why do I cook it? Because cooking it down enhances flavor and reduces the moisture in the fruit. Water is the enemy when it comes to ice cream because water creates ice crystals when it freezes.
- Next make a custard base with eggs, sugar, milk, and heavy cream. This makes the ice cream extra rich and creamy. And don’t stress about cooking up a custard, you’ll give it a quick strain through a sieve so we’ll catch any stray ‘scrambled’ eggs!
- Chill both mixtures until cold. I often do this the day before. Your ice cream base needs to be perfectly cold before adding it to your ice cream machine or it won’t churn as well.
- Churn the ice cream in your machine. Mine takes under 20 minutes.
- Spread the soft rhubarb ice cream into a freezer container and freeze until scoop-able.
tips for making homemade rhubarb ice cream
Chill ingredients: after making the ice cream base, make sure to chill it thoroughly. Chilled ingredients help achieve a smoother texture and faster freezing.
Freeze the ice cream bowl: If you’re using an ice cream maker with a removable bowl, make sure to freeze the bowl according to the manufacturer’s instructions before using it. A cold bowl will freeze the mixture more efficiently.
Churn properly: Follow the instructions of your ice cream maker to churn the mixture correctly. Churning incorporates air into the base, creating a creamy texture. Be patient and allow the machine to do its job, usually taking around 20-30 minutes.
Add mix-ins: If you want to include mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or fruit pieces, add them during the last few minutes of churning. This ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream.
Freeze for additional firmness: After churning, the ice cream will typically be in a soft-serve consistency. For a firmer texture, transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze it for a few hours or overnight.
Freeze at the right temperature: Set your freezer to a slightly higher temperature (around -10°C/14°F) to prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard. Avoid storing the ice cream near the freezer’s coldest areas, such as the back or the bottom.
Thaw before serving: If your rhubarb ice cream does become too hard after freezing, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few minutes before serving. This will help soften it slightly and make it easier to scoop.
it’s rhubarb mania here in the Great Island kitchen
- Rhubarb Scones
- Rhubarb Applesauce
- Forgotten Rhubarb Recipes
- Rhubarb Shortbread Crumble Tart
- Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jelly
- Norwegian Rhubarb and Almond Cake
- Rhubarb Shortcake
Rhubarb Ice Cream
Equipment
- an ice cream maker this is the one I use and love
Ingredients
compote
- 13 ounces chopped rhubarb, (about 4 cups)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, plus more, to taste
custard
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla bean "caviar"
Instructions
- Stir together the rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and a splash of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until some of the liquid has evaporated and the rhubarb is thick and soft. Be careful not to let it scorch on the bottom of your pan.
- Let the compote cool slightly then puree in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Chill until cold.
- Meanwhile make the custard. Whisk the egg, yolks, sugar, and milk, making sure to break up the eggs completely. Heat the cream in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan until it starts to steam and gets little bubbles around the edge. Drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the whole thing back into the pan and heat on medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture just starts to thicken. Do not bring it to a boil.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Chill until cold.
- Mix the cold rhubarb with the cold custard sauce and thoroughly blend. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the instructions. Spread the soft ice cream into a container and freeze until scoopable.
Notes
Nutrition
Question regarding the vanilla: I’m not familiar with using vanilla bean, but have one & want to use it. Your recipe calls for 1 tsp of vanilla, which according to what I found equates to half a bean. Since I’m unfamiliar with how beans react, I’d like to know if I should go ahead & use the whole bean, or would that overwhelm this rhibarb recipe vs. provide more warm vanilla flavor? I understand taste is subjective, but I KNOW you’ll be able to help me with this. Thank you!
Just made this ice cream; so good, so fresh! I didn’t strain it or blitz it in a blender. I used a Ninja Creami to mix it the following day. It is so smooth, so creamy, with zero bits inside. Can’t even tell it was homemade ice cream.
I’ve bought all the ingredients but want to make this without an ice cream maker … any tips please?
No churn ice cream would be made without the custard. You would whip the two cups of whipping cream, and also use a can of sweetened condensed milk. Reduce the sugar since the condensed milk is sweet. Everything but the whipped cream is mixed together, then fold in the cream. Freeze until scoop-able.
I was a bit short of rhubarb, so added a few fresh strawberries. This is one of the best ice creams I’ve ever made!
Wow thanks!
This has a very subtle flavor of rhubarb. I think it might need more sweetness and more “barb” to make me happy, but my husband loved it and raved as he ate it. I made a rhubarb/strawberry compote, cooled it and served it with the ice cream, and that was a hit with all of us.
Yes, for more rhubarb flavor definitely stick with all rhubarb, it makes all the difference.
Churning as we speak! Cannot wait to serve this later today for our family get together.
One question.. I made an exceedingly amount and have more product than I wished for at this time. Is it possible to freeze the leftover mix in ziplock bags? .. keeping in mind that it hasn’t been churned yet
I haven’t done that myself Lani, but I think it’s worth a try, especially if you have extra.