Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

Creamy and decadent strawberry rhubarb ice cream with bright bursts of fresh fruit. This ice cream is my summer's theme. Satisfy every sweet tooth and stay cool with this gorgeous dessert. 

Creamy and decadent strawberry rhubarb ice cream with bright bursts of fresh fruit. This ice cream is my summer's theme. Satisfy every sweet tooth and stay cool with this gorgeous dessert. 

Why you'll love it

This sweet and cream ice cream is one of my absolute favorites to beat that summer heat while also celebrating its fresh produce. It is a great recipe for anyone who perhaps tried my deeply rich and flavorful homemade vanilla ice cream and are ready to dip their toes into adding some fun and seasonable flavors. Rhubarb season is very short and this is a great way to use up some extras and keep it available to enjoy a little longer. If you've made by rhubarb jam, you can even use that in the ice cream as a part of the fruit mixture. In fact, it is a great way to use up any strawberry and/or rhubarb leftovers in many forms. 

• It is a super easy recipe to make and great for people new to making ice cream
• The base is rich, with a velvety mouthfeel that is contrasted by the sweet and tart flavors of strawberry rhubarb coming together to create an unforgettable treat
• You can use frozen strawberries and rhubarb if you have a craving for it when they aren't in season

Key ingredient overview

Ice cream making uses very simple ingredients and the chances are you have many of the ingredients, or can easily source them at your favorite grocery store. These are some of the key ingredients you need to know before you start. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

• Dairy - You need both whole milk and heavy cream for this recipe. It is important that you use both for the best flavor and mouthfeel. Higher fat products ensure there are less ice crystals forming in the ice cream which is very important. 
• Corn syrup - This is different from high fructose corn syrup which is not in this recipe. It again helps with preventing ice crystals and creating a smoother ice cream base when it is churned. You can substitute it with agave or honey or omit it entirely.
• Cornstarch - This helps to create a luscious, velvety consistency, but it can be substituted with arrowroot starch or omitted entirely.
• Produce - This recipe was originally made with using fresh strawberries and fresh rhubarb, but you can always use frozen if you are making this out of season.  

How to make

Making homemade ice cream is surprisingly easy. The most important thing is to pay attention to the temperatures of your ingredients and ice cream base. Before you begin, you need to prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer instructions, which often means freezing your base 24 hours in advance. You can also check out my guide on how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker. 

1. Start with the swirl. Add the strawberries and rhubarb into a medium saucepan with ½ cup sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until the mixture breaks down and a syrup forms from the juices. Use a potato masher to break up the fruits even more. Set aside to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. 
2. Start the base. Use a large saucepan to combine milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup together and warm gently over medium heat until it reaches a soft simmer.
3. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a separate medium bowl and mix until well-combined. 
4. Drizzle about a cup of the heated milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly until the eggs are warmed. 
5. Transfer the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan with the milk and continue to cook until it all forms a custard that coats a back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Transfer the custard to a large freezer bag that you keep partially open to let heat escape. 
7. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl that is mostly ice and place the bag into the bath, taking care to keep any of the water or ice from the inside of the bag. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes. I recommend leaving the ice bath in the refrigerator to help speed the cooling process even more. 
8. Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer instructions, then layer the strawberry rhubarb mixture and ice cream in a loaf pan or freezer-safe container

Amanda's expert tips

• The ice cream base needs to be at least 40F/4C before you begin churning. This not only helps to speed up the churning process, but also reduces the chances of ice crystals
• You don't have to layer in the swirl into your loaf pan or ice cream container. You can also add it to the ice cream machine near the end of the churning process and incorporate the fruit entirely into the ice cream 
• Add the hot liquid to the egg yolk mixture slowly to gently bring up the temperature of the yolk without scrambling it. This is called tempering. To help with this process, make sure your egg yolks are at room temperature before you add the liquid 

Recommended tools

If you don't already have a set up for making your own strawberry rhubarb ice cream at home, I recommend these. 

• This is the updated version of the ice cream maker I have 
• If you prefer, you can also use this ice cream maker attachment 
• These ice cream containers are amazing and I own a few of them 
• My absolute favorite ice cream scoop 

Recipe Card

Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

Amanda Powell

Creamy and decadent strawberry rhubarb ice cream with bright bursts of fresh fruit. This ice cream is my summer's theme. Satisfy every sweet tooth and stay cool with this gorgeous dessert. 

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 20 servings

Calories 147 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups 750 mL whole milk
• 1 ½ cups 360 mL heavy cream
• 1 cup 200 g sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Strawberry Rhubarb Swirl

• 1 cup 200 g diced strawberries
• 3 rhubarb stalks chopped
• ½ cup 100 g sugar
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

 

• In a large pot, mix the milk, cream, ¾ cup of the sugar, salt, and corn syrup together on medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 1 - 2 minutes, then lower to a simmer.
• In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks, ¼ cup (50 g) of sugar and corn starch. Slowly add 1 cup (250 mL) of the heated milk to the eggs to bring up the temperature. Mix the eggs back into the pot.
• Mix the contents of the pot constantly until it forms a thick custard. You can test this by dipping a wooden spoon in the mixture, then running your finger down the back of the spoon. If a line where you swipe remains there, the custard is ready. It should take about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
• Prepare an ice bath - it should be more ice than water. Fill a large freezer bag with the custard and let it rest in the ice bath for about 30 minutes.
• Make the strawberry rhubarb swirl by adding all the ingredients in a medium pot and cook until the rhubarb is soft and a syrup has formed. Mash the strawberries and rhubarb, leaving a couple of small chunks in if you want more texture. Place in a bowl and refrigerate.
• Put the cooled custard in your ice cream maker and prepare according to manufacturer instructions.
• Layer the strawberry rhubarb and ice cream in a container, starting with the strawberry rhubarb mixture. Freeze for an additional 3 - 4- hours.
• *If you do not have an ice cream maker, place the ice cream in a container and place in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for about 3 - 4 hours, mix the ice cream. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottoms to break up the ice crystals. Use am immersion blender if you have one available.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 142mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 382IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 1mg

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