I can’t wait for you to try my summer-perfect Rhubarb Ice Cream recipe, made with fresh rhubarb! This homemade ice cream is rich and creamy, with a distinct yet delicate tart rhubarb flavor and the loveliest all-natural blush-pink color. Serve it with my buttery, thin & crispy oat cookies for the most delightful treat!
Every spring and summer, my infatuation with rhubarb recipes emerges. And the latest, greatest deliciousness to cross my lips is this homemade Rhubarb Ice Cream. The rhubarb flavor takes center stage here, offering that signature tartness in a rich custard base. And it’s just so pretty in pink! I love to pair it with my thin and Crispy Oat Cookies. Together, this sweet treat tastes like the most wonderful version of rhubarb crisp in ice cream form!
Cheers, Mom! I Made a Fantastic RHUBARB ICE CREAM!
Whenever my family is exploring locally or in another city, we always seek out great ice cream shops. And it’s a big-time bonus when we come across a place that thinks outside the box with their ice cream flavors and mix-ins. I’ve rarely seen rhubarb in ice cream, so I took that as a sign to treat myself and make my own recipe. My mom got so excited when I said I was experimenting with a homemade rhubarb ice cream recipe. (She just might have rhubarb running through her veins.) Cheers to you, Mom!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
- Beautiful rhubarb flavor. Tart & sassy rhubarb is front and center here. I chose to not pair it with strawberries, as is often the case in rhubarb desserts, to let that pure rhubarb flavor shine through.
- Ultra creamy texture. Egg yolks, whole milk, and heavy cream create a luxurious ice cream that scoops beautifully. This is real-deal ice cream, not an inferior shortcut recipe with odd flavor and/or texture.
- Natural blush-pink color. Red rhubarb stalks give the ice cream its gorgeous pastel hue.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Here’s a quick look at what goes into this homemade rhubarb ice cream. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
For the Rhubarb Sauce:
- Rhubarb – Look for red or dark pink stalks for the prettiest color. If you’re not familiar with rhubarb, read my primer: Rhubarb 101.
- Sugar – This is essential for balancing the puckery rhubarb.
- Lemon juice – Brightens and enhances the rhubarb flavor.
- Water – Helps the rhubarb soften.
For the Custard Base:
- Egg yolks – This offers rich, creamy flavor and texture. (Don’t discard the whites. Add them to your morning eggs for extra protein. Or make Angel Food Cake!)
- Sugar – Sweetens the custard and helps create a smooth consistency.
- Whole milk – For a rich ice cream base, don’t swap in a lower fat milk.
- Salt – I use Morton kosher salt.
- Heavy cream – Gives the ice cream its velvety, rich texture.
- Vanilla extract – Adds some flavor depth and rounds out the tart rhubarb.
HOW TO MAKE RHUBARB ICE CREAM
Here’s a step-by-step look at how this pretty pink ice cream comes together.
- Make the rhubarb sauce. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Simmer until the rhubarb is completely softened and the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Blend until smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.
- Prepare the custard base. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, milk, and salt.
- Heat the cream. Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming and just beginning to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.
- Temper the eggs. Very slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture. Once combined, return everything to the saucepan.
- Cook the custard. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat before it reaches a boil.
- Strain and chill. Strain the custard through a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer to ensure a silky-smooth texture. Stir in the vanilla and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Add the rhubarb sauce. Combine the chilled rhubarb sauce and custard base.
- Churn the ice cream. Churn in an ice cream maker until softly frozen.
- Freeze until firm. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until it reaches your desired consistency.
BRENDA’S Best TIPS
- Freeze your ice cream maker bowl well in advance. Twenty-four hours is the minimum, but 48 hours is even better. Don’t forget! I’ve found that’s it’s not worth my time and effort to make homemade ice cream if the freezer bowl isn’t frozen long enough.
- Avoid over-heating the custard. Gentle heat is the key to a smooth, creamy texture to the custard ice cream base. If the mixture gets too hot, it can actually cook the egg yolks into chunky little bits.
- Don’t rush the chilling step. Both the rhubarb mixture and custard should be thoroughly cold before churning. This helps everything chill perfectly.
SERVING IDEAS
Rhubarb ice cream is wonderful all on its own or scooped into a crisp waffle cone, but if you want to make it extra special, serve it with:
- Cookies! I already told you about my Crispy Oat Cookies. But soft and chewy oatmeal cookies, like the ones in my Oatmeal Cream Pies, would also be wonderful. Also think about crisp, buttery shortbread cookies.
- Fresh strawberries or my easy fresh Strawberry Sauce.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, instead of the usual scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Store your rhubarb ice cream in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks for the freshest flavor and texture. For easier scooping, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Rhubarb Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Ingredients
Rhubarb Sauce
- 1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into ½" pieces (look for red/dark pink stalks for the prettiest pink color)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Custard Base
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅛ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Rhubarb Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium/medium-high heat, stir together rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Once mixture is hot and bubbling, reduce heat to medium/medium-low and keep at a lively simmer. Stir regularly, scraping bottom of saucepan, to avoid scorching. When rhubarb is soft and easily smashed with a spoon, and mixture is thickened, it's done. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer mixture to blender carafe or food processor and let cool 5-10 minutes. Then process until completely smooth. You should have roughly 1¾ cups of rhubarb sauce. Transfer to a small bowl and place in fridge to chill until cold.
Custard Base
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, whole milk, and salt until just evenly combined.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, gently heat the cream. Stir regularly, scraping bottom of saucepan, taking care to not let it scorch. Once cream is steaming and just starting to lightly simmer (thoroughly hot, and not starting to actively simmer or boil), remove from heat.
- Very, very slowly drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking all the while to temper the egg yolks. Once everything is combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the saucepan constantly, until mixture just starts to thicken. Do not let it boil — when it feels like it's close to breaking into a boil, remove saucepan from the heat.
- Line a colander with a layer of cheesecloth. Pour custard through cheesecloth. Stir vanilla into strained custard. Let cool a bit. Then transfer to fridge to chill until cold.
Rhubarb Ice Cream
- Combine cold rhubarb sauce and custard base; stir to fully incorporate. Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until it's at your desired frozen texture. Plan for at least 4 hours for soft scoops, 6 hours or overnight for firmer scoops.
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