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 yours from the produce aisle, this is too good to miss!
Rhubarb makes a fabulous ice cream flavor because of its natural tartness.
Rhubarb is famously tangy, and that actually helps the flavor shine through in this creamy 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.
My rhubarb ice cream recipe starts with a few cups of sliced 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.
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.
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 ice cream into a freezer container and freeze until scoop-able.
We get into a bit of a rhubarb mania every spring and summer here at the Great Island kitchen ~
- Rhubarb Scones
- Rhubarb Shortbread Crumble Tart
- Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jelly
- Norwegian Rhubarb and Almond Cake
- Rhubarb Shortcake
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Rhubarb Ice Cream
Ingredients
compote
- 13 ounces chopped rhubarb (369 grams or about 4 cups)
- 1/4 cup sugar (52 grams)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (more to taste)
custard
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup sugar (135 grams)
- 1 cup whole milk (250 ml)
- 2 cups heavy cream (480 ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (you can also use a vanilla bean)
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 and variations
21 Comments
Larry
July 12, 2021 at 5:24 pmThis is absolutely delicious. We made ice cream sandwiches with this and some oat shortbread cookies and it was like eating a frozen rhubarb pie.
Isabel M
June 3, 2021 at 9:42 amUsually love every recipe on this site! We didn’t this time. I found the creamy custard texture almost slimy even after overnight chill and my husband wishes there were larger chunks of fruit (I did not puree, no need). We will try again, maybe I need to cook the custard longer and/or at higher temperature, but using the rest of my rhubard for scones or cake!
Sue Moran
June 3, 2021 at 10:14 amSo sorry you didn’t love this Isabel, I can still remember the last time I made it and everybody raved. Larger chunks of fruit is a thought, although I always worry about them getting icy in the freezer. Good luck with your cakes and scones!
Shannon
May 30, 2021 at 4:10 pmJUST put the batch in containers in to the freezer! Yum! Cannot wait to have it later tonight. Great recipe. I roasted my rhubarb instead of on the stove. That is the only change I made. Will be making this recipe a lot! Thank you!
Antonida
October 16, 2020 at 3:21 pmCan you make it without an icecream machine
Toni
September 9, 2020 at 8:41 pmHello from Edmonton, Alberta!! I made a batch of this(thought i messed up the custard because I dumped everything in the pot at once rather than your method, but it worked!! ) and just finished trying some. Oh my. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a wonderful ice cream! I have a large rhubarb patch in my yard, and it can seem hard coming up with great recipes for all that rhubarb(I’m even making wine with it this year-that’s how much i get every summer)but this one is the absolute best yet. Thanks so much for posting this 🙂
Sue
September 10, 2020 at 7:10 amI’m so glad you loved this Toni, check out my other rhubarb recipes, I’m a fellow rhubarb maniac!
Michelle
July 25, 2020 at 9:45 amAbsolutely Delicious! Made it as my sister and her husband were coming for dinner and it is her new favourite ice cream. We had it with apple pie and pistachio crumbled over the top of the ice cream.
My advice … Make it early as mine had not set fully by desert time for us. Next time, I would leave about 5 hours in the freezer.
Sue
July 25, 2020 at 11:00 amomg sounds like you had an epic dessert!
Colette
July 4, 2020 at 10:08 amI love rhubarb and ice cream! What a great combination I never would have thought together. The recipe calls for the cream to be heated. Should I be whipping it to form peaks before the heating begins? I also dont have an ice crean maker. Thanks
Debra Jean
June 30, 2020 at 11:29 amCan frozen cut up rhubarb be used in place of fresh rhubarb?
Sue
June 30, 2020 at 12:37 pmYes, for sure.
2 sisters recipes
June 30, 2020 at 9:10 amLove this idea! I never made anything with Rhurbarb before, now is the time to start! Thanks Sue!
Sue
June 30, 2020 at 9:59 amomgosh you’re in for a treat 🙂
joan
June 30, 2020 at 8:52 amThis recipe looks so yummy. I do not have an ice cream maker. Can it still be done by hand?
Sue
June 30, 2020 at 8:59 amYou can try making it with a can of sweetened condensed milk in place of the milk, and whip the cream to firm peaks. You’ll mix everything together and freeze.
mary
June 30, 2020 at 7:19 amI love! rhubarb. Can’t wait to try this. My mom used to chop it up and simmer with some water until soft (like a chunky applesauce) and add sugar. When cool, it can be eaten it like applesauce or used as a topping for vanilla ice cream.
Sue
June 30, 2020 at 7:57 amYes, that’s such a great way to enjoy it, I want to make a rhubarb applesauce for the blog 🙂
DonnaMarie
June 30, 2020 at 3:34 pmI too love rhubarb! Years ago our local ice cream store sweet rose creamery had rhubarb ice cream to scream for. Also, Mrs. Knotts fried chicken restaurant serves a rhubarb relish with the dinners! I’ve used the frozen rhubarb to make the relish. Sad… we don’t have an ice cream maker, happy …I’ll try Sue’s idea with condensed milk! Also, giving this a five just because it’s rhubarb and a good summer idea.
Colette
July 4, 2020 at 10:03 amThe recipe calls for the cream to be heated so when sjould i be whipping it to form peaks? I also dont have an ice crean maker. Thanks
Sue
July 4, 2020 at 11:06 amIf you are making a no churn ice cream you would not use eggs, or make a custard. You’d use condensed milk and whipped cream, Colette.