Description
Delight in the refreshing and creamy Rhubarb Ice Cream made with homemade rhubarb jam, a smooth cream cheese base, and a rich blend of milk, cream, and vanilla. This recipe balances the tartness of rhubarb with sweetness, perfect for a unique frozen dessert in spring or summer.
Ingredients
Rhubarb Jam
- 450 g rhubarb (to yield about 3 1/2 to 4 cups once chopped)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped)
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tsp cornstarch
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp cream cheese (1.5 oz, softened)
Instructions
- Prepare the rhubarb jam: Wash and slice the rhubarb, then combine it in a pot with sugar, the scraped vanilla bean pod, and seeds. Bring to a boil and let it simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Continue to simmer until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency. Allow to cool in the fridge.
- Make the ice cream base: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of milk with cornstarch to create a slurry and set aside. In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, light corn syrup, and kosher salt. Heat over medium-high until it reaches a boil, then cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and return to boil. Continue stirring and cook until thickened, about 2 more minutes.
- Incorporate cream cheese: Place the softened cream cheese in a bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth to temper it. Whisk this mixture back into the remaining hot milk base ensuring the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Chill the ice cream base: Transfer the mixture into a sealed plastic bag or airtight container and submerge it in a bowl of ice water until it chills, or refrigerate it overnight for best results.
- Combine jam and ice cream base: The following day, puree the chilled homemade rhubarb jam with the ice cream base using an immersion blender until fully blended.
- Freeze the ice cream: Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This recipe may require processing in batches depending on your ice cream maker’s capacity. Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a storage container and freeze until fully set before serving.
Notes
- Use a high-quality vanilla bean for the best flavor in the rhubarb jam.
- Softened cream cheese should be at room temperature to blend smoothly without lumps.
- Chilling the base overnight enhances texture and flavor.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes until set to reduce ice crystals.
- Ensure the rhubarb is fresh and firm for best tartness and texture.
