By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling and freezing time
- Rating
- 5(172)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This ice cream is chock-full of sweet bits, but with enough satiny frozen custard to savor between the chunks. To keep the rhubarb from freezing into tooth-breaking fruity ice cubes, stew it with plenty of sugar, which keeps the fruit soft. The technique works with any summer fruit, though it’s especially nice with rhubarb, or gooseberries for that matter, both of which need a lot of sugar to tame their squint-inducing acid content. But you can substitute strawberries, apricots, cherries, peaches or plums as the summer fruit season progresses, adjusting the sugar depending upon the sweetness of the fruit.
Featured in: Rhubarb, It Turns Out, Can Be a Sweetie
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Ingredients
Yield:One scant quart
- 1and ½ cups whole milk
- 1and ¾ cup plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 4large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1and ½ cups sour cream
- ¾pound rhubarb, cut into ½-inch dice
- ½cup heavy cream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the milk, ¾ cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla bean seeds and its pod. Simmer gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod and return mixture to a bare simmer.
Step
2
Place the yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Scrape the custard back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in sour cream. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
Step
3
In a saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 1 cup sugar. Simmer until rhubarb is just tender and has begun releasing its juices, but has not started to fall apart, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a bowl. Continue to simmer the juices until syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Pour the syrup over the rhubarb. Cool completely.
Step
4
In a clean, dry and preferably nonstick skillet, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat. When it begins to melt and lightly color, sprinkle in 2 more tablespoons and start swirling pan to help evenly distribute sugar. Add the final 2 tablespoons and cook, swirling pan until all the sugar has melted. Let cook, swirling occasionally, until the sugar syrup caramelizes and turns dark brown. Pour in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons water (stand back; it may splatter). Simmer, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula until smooth. Cool completely.
Step
5
Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.
Step
6
Scrape a quarter of the caramel into the bottom of a freezer-proof quart container. Top with a quarter of the ice cream. Repeat layering until all of the caramel and ice cream has been used, ending with the ice cream. Freeze until firm for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
Ratings
5
out of 5
172
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Cooking Notes
Lisa
I made this exactly as written, using sour cream. Best ice cream I have ever made, and one of the top I've ever eaten! Thanks again, Melissa.
Wendy Ruopp
Rather than spend $18.99 for two sad little vanilla beans in a jar at the supermarket, I skipped the steeping in Step 1 and added 2 tsp. vanilla along with the sour cream in Step 2. I'm sure vanilla bean would add depth of flavor--but at the speed with which this ice cream disappeared at a hot 4th of July party, I'm not sure it made that much difference. Wonderful recipe.
Amy
This is absolutely delicious! I didn't add the caramel swirl because after tasting both the base and rhubarb compote, I thought it was plenty sweet enough (and I did scant cups in measuring the sugar for both). However, if the caramel was cooked until quite dark, I could see it adding a welcome hint of bitterness. An extra large pinch of salt in the base, or a small sprinkle of salt on top would be great too. All tasters have been impressed so far - will definitely be making this one again!
Emily
I was not planning on adding the caramel swirl, but at the last minute I did. WOW. This is incredible and unique.
KCWS
Be sure to use a freezer container that is larger than 1 quart. I had 1 quart of ice cream and then added the rhubarb compote and caramel. I used a 1/2 gallon container and the mixture almost filled the container.
Jeff
If you cook the rhubarb only long enough to soften, you’ll get a kind of chunky textured ice cream. Wait until the rhubarb is almost mushy and the texture will be creamier.Also be careful not to cook down the caramel too much or it’ll be too stiff - like caramel candies - instead of swirly.
John
Made this twice in the last month. As written, except subbed 2 tsp vanilla extract for vanilla bean. Huge hit on both occasions. Folks talking about it, and asking for the recipe a week later!Will try it with our fresh raspberry crop this week.
Emilie
This is a fantastic recipe. I have made it twice and it has come out great both times Don't skip the caramel swirl - it really adds a lot to the ice cream! My caramel has come out pretty dark and a bit bitter both times but it works well. I'd recommend adding a bit of flaky salt to the caramel as well.
Emilie
This is one of the best ice creams I've ever made! Absolutely love and recommend it!
Tani
I made this as directed. The caramel was wonderful as was the rhubarb sauce. I didn’t like the ice cream made with sour cream and the combination just didn’t work together.
C Kelly
May 16, 2023Made in batches, custard and rhubarb on (1) day and caramel and churn (2) days later. The caramel had a hard "rock candy" piece that refused to break down. Next time, I'll cook the sugar less OR use another caramel recipe. It's in the freezer, now, but initial test tastes indicate it's very good. The texture is very creamy. I used vanilla beans but will use extract next time. My palate doesn't appreciate the difference between the two.
Suz in Portland
Made this today to take to a friend’s summer backyard cookout tomorrow. Eating the remains from the ice cream maker now, I can attest to how amazing this recipe is. (I haven’t tasted it together with the caramel yet.) As I was churning it I realized how little this recipe makes (“scant quart”) so I divided the rhubarb compote in half and will make another batch of custard. Based on my tasting, half the rhubarb is still plenty for one quart.
nancy
Delicious. Used jarred caramel
Jennie
I'll have to attempt this again. Clearly I think I live in England, where they have rhubarb in January; I was forced to substitute a strawberry/fig mix, which ended up too figgy so I added a little pomegranate molasses. Each element was so glorious I couldn't see what a caramel would add so didn't. I got over 6 cups (with some fruit left over) and it is magically delicious. Note that when I added (cold) fruit and syrup in Step 5, the custard liquefied, so I had to churn much longer to refreeze.
C Kelly
That sounds delicious!
Brooke
If your custard curdles, DON'T PANIC! Just remove from heat and then mix with an immersion blender. Since you've blended everything in so thoroughly at that point, there's no need to drain through a sieve. We did this and were able to rescue the custard. The ice cream was wonderful (amazing consistency)!
Jeff
If you cook the rhubarb only long enough to soften, you’ll get a kind of chunky textured ice cream. Wait until the rhubarb is almost mushy and the texture will be creamier.Also be careful not to cook down the caramel too much or it’ll be too stiff - like caramel candies - instead of swirly.
Tsipora
How long are we supposed to churn for?
Megan
Delicious! Do not spend the money on the vanilla bean - you cannot taste the flavor among all the other flavors. Would definitely make this again sans vanilla bean!
Ed from Boston
Use 1 1/2 times rhubarb and process add 1 tsp dark rum no caramel
Sheri
We have made this many times with the rhubarb, and it is wonderful. Today we’ve made it with sour cherries (Montmorency) harvested from our own trees, and it’s even better—superb!
Jolinda
This made almost 2 quarts -- more than my small ice cream maker could handle. I stopped it early and it came out a bit icy. Make sure you cut your rhubarb into small enough pieces.
Rita
I just made this and made a few modifications based on previous notes. I had problems with the caramel, I think I added the cream too quickly and it seized up. I got it to mostly come together using the microwave. I added sliced almonds and sea salt to add crunchiness and cut the sweetness a bit. Overall it was good ice cream and different with the sour cream tang but still too sweet. I would cut the sugar in the rhubarb in half if I try this again since it’s tartness was obliterated.
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