Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream brings together two favourites: sweet but tangy rhubarb crumble and rich vanilla ice cream. Cooked rhubarb is rippled through an easy, egg-free ice cream along with nuggets of crunchy, oaty crumble. Delicious whether you eat scoops from a bowl or enjoy in a cone.

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This is an updated version of a recipe first published in 2024

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HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

I bought an ice cream maker quite a few years ago and it really is easy to whip up a batch. Of course, you can make ice cream without a machine (you’ll find instructions in the notes to the recipe card), but having one does cut down the hands-on time.

The only thing with simple ice cream machines like mine is to remember to put the inner bowl in the freezer overnight. Mind you, if I had one of those instant ice cream machines, I think I’d be eating homemade ice cream way too often!

Most of my homemade ice cream starts with what I think of as my base recipe. Made with a combination of whole milk and double cream, but egg-free, it’s dead simple, nicely creamy, but not too rich. To this base you can add any flavours, fruit, chocolate, nuts etc. you fancy and make an infinite variety of ice creams.

And the flavour I have for you today is a real humdinger. Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream.

RHUBARB CRUMBLE ICE CREAM

If you’re new to ice cream making, you might be surprised at how easy it is. In this post, I tell you how to make it with an ice cream machine but have also added instructions for making by hand in the notes to the recipe card at the end.

My Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream is made up of three elements, none of them difficult.

• Vanilla ice cream base.
• Rhubarb cooked with sugar until very soft.
• Crumble pieces baked in the oven for 10 -15 minutes.

We make each element separately, then combine them into a sweet treat that everyone will love.

Before you churn the ice cream, all the elements should be cold. For convenience, I often make the vanilla base and rhubarb puree the day before, giving them plenty of time to chill. This also nudges me to remember to put the ice cream inner in the freezer.

STEP 1: MAKE THE VANILLA ICE CREAM BASE

For this you’ll need whole milk, caster sugar, double cream, and vanilla extract or paste. My ice cream maker is for small batches so my recipe will serve 4 – 6. If you have a larger capacity machine, you could double the quantities shown in the recipe card at the end.

All you do is put the sugar and milk in a jug and briefly hand whisk until the sugar’s dissolved. Then whisk in the double cream and vanilla until everything’s combined. And that’s it. About five minutes’ work, and the base is chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to churn into ice cream.

STEP 2: MAKE THE RHUBARB PUREE

For my recipe you’ll need 300 grams of rhubarb. That’s the weight after you’ve removed any leaves or bases. You can use either early season rhubarb or that which comes later. The early season is bright red and will make a strikingly coloured puree. Later rhubarb is greener and cooks to a more golden hue. But I think it tastes just as good.

Put the chopped rhubarb into a shallow-ish saucepan (so it cooks quicker) with a tablespoon of water and some sugar. Tastes will naturally vary as to how sweet you want to make the rhubarb. Different varieties and batches of rhubarb will also vary in sourness. I find 125 grams of sugar is usually right for me. But you could start with 100 grams and add more if needed.

Bring up to a simmer, then gently cook until the rhubarb is soft and broken down. If you want a completely smooth puree, you can blend it. Whichever way you go, transfer the rhubarb to a covered container and chill in the fridge.

STEP 3: MAKE THE CRUMBLE 

All you do is rub butter into a mixture of plain flour (I use half white, half wholemeal), rolled oats, sugar, and a pinch of salt, until you have what looks like large breadcrumbs. If you want to add some spice, for example ground ginger, then include 1 – 2 teaspoons with the flour. To make into crumble pieces, sprinkle over just 2 – 3 drops of cold water, then bring pea-sized bits together with your fingers.

Scatter the pieces over a baking tray and put into an oven you’ve preheated to the temperature in the recipe card. They should take 10 – 15 minutes to become light golden brown and cooked all the way through. Turn them at least once for even browning. Lower the heat a smidgen if they’re darkening too quickly. When done, set aside to cool, then break up any pieces that have clumped together.

STEP 4: COMBINE ELEMENTS FOR RHUBARB CRUMBLE ICE CREAM

Now you have your three elements (vanilla ice cream base, rhubarb puree, crumble pieces), it’s time to put them together.

First, I recommend chilling the container you’re going to store the Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream in. One day, I will get around to buying one specifically for ice cream. In the meantime, I find a 2lb/900 g non-stick bread tin does fine, or any plastic food container. I put it in the freezer then churn the ice cream.

Models of ice cream machine will differ, so be sure to follow your manufacturer’s instructions. For my model, I take the inner bowl out of the freezer and place it in the machine. Then before I start pouring in the ice cream base, I make sure the machine is running. This is important as, otherwise, it will immediately freeze to the bowl upon contact, forming a big frozen lump instead of softly churned ice cream.

Now just leave the machine to do its thing. Mine makes a ‘chug-chug’ noise when the paddle’s struggling to rotate as the ice cream’s become thick and semi-frozen. This is the time to transfer the ice cream to your chilled freezer container.

Sprinkle over HALF the crumble and spoon over HALF the rhubarb. Take a spoon and swirl them through the ice cream. Then add the remaining crumble and rhubarb, swirling again to distribute evenly.

Unless you have a swanky machine, or like to eat your ice cream very soft, it should now go into the freezer to firm up. If you don’t have a lid for your container then put over a layer of cling film followed by a sheet of foil.

SERVING & STORING RHUBARB CRUMBLE ICE CREAM

Depending on your preference, your ice cream maker, and the temperature of your freezer, it might take between 2 – 4 hours for soft serve to be ready and from 6 – 8 hours or overnight for a firmer ice cream. If you set yours firmly, then transfer the container to the fridge to soften for 30 – 60 minutes before serving. To eat while the rhubarb flavour is still bright and fresh, I recommend eating within 1 week, but it will still be good for at least 2 weeks.

If you’re an ice cream fan who also likes the classic combination of tangy rhubarb and crunchy crumble all smothered in vanilla custard, I think you’ll love those flavours in my Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream – whether you pile a bowl with scoops of it for a lightly creamy, tangy dessert, or enjoy in a crispy cone as a treat.

If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought. Please leave a comment and rating.

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Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

Tangy soft rhubarb and crunchy oaty crumble pieces rippled through an easy, egg-free vanilla ice cream.

If you have an ice cream maker that needs the inner bowl freezing, remember to put it in the freezer the night before. The rhubarb puree and ice cream base can also be made the day before.

No ice cream machine? See Recipe Notes below for making by hand.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine British, World

Keyword egg-free ice cream

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Freezing time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Servings 4 - 6

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

For the rhubarb

• 300 g rhubarb (weight after leaves and bases removed)
• 125 g sugar (reduce to 100g for a tarter result)
• 1 tbsp water

For the vanilla ice cream base

• 90 g sugar
• 125 ml whole milk
• 250 ml double cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste

For the crumble

• 50 g plain flour (white, wholemeal or a mixture)
• 15 g rolled oats
• 15 g sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
• 1 pinch salt
• 30 g butter
• few drops cold water

Instructions

Cook the rhubarb

1. Wash the rhubarb and cut into 2 - 3 cm chunks.

   Place it in a wide, shallow saucepan, stir in the sugar and 1 tbsp of water.

   Over medium heat, stir until the sugar melts then simmer until the rhubarb is very soft and falling apart.

   Optional: take off the heat and whizz to a puree with a stick blender.

   Transfer to a shallow dish and chill in the fridge until completely cold.

Make the vanilla ice cream base

1. Put the sugar and milk in a jug and briefly hand whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

   Hand whisk in the double cream and vanilla until everything is combined.

   Chill in the fridge until ready to churn.

Make the crumble

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C /160°Fan /Gas 4 /350°F with a baking tray inside.

2. Put the flour, oats, sugar, ground ginger if using, plus the salt, into a mixing bowl and stir together.

   Cut the butter into pieces then rub in until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs.

   Sprinkle over 2 - 3 drops of water then bring together into pieces of crumble approximately the size of a pea.

   Scatter the crumble over the baking tray and cook until light golden brown (10 - 15 min.), turning at least once and checking it isn't browning too quickly.

3. Remove from the oven and set aside until cold.

   Break up any larger pieces that have clumped together then set aside.

   If making in advance, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cold.

Make the Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

1. Put the container in which you're going to store the ice cream into the freezer to chill.

2. Remove the ice cream maker inner bowl from the freezer and put it into the ice cream maker.

   Following the manufacturer's instructions, slowly pour the vanilla ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn until done. Tip: for most ice cream makers, you'll need to get it running BEFORE you pour in the ice cream base so it doesn't immediately freeze on contact instead of churning.

3. Transfer the churned ice cream to your chilled container.

   Sprinkle with half the crumble pieces and half the rhubarb. Use a spoon to swirl them through the ice cream.

   Repeat with the remaining crumble and rhubarb.

Storing

1. Cover and put in the freezer to firm up to your preferred consistency (from 2 - 4 hours for soft serve, 6 - 8 or overnight for firmer).

   If set firm, transfer the ice cream to the fridge 30 - 60 min before serving.

   Can be stored for up to 2 weeks, although the flavour is at its best during the first week.

Recipe Notes

Making Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream without an ice cream machine.

1. Cook the rhubarb and make the crumble pieces as per the recipe and chill them.
2. Combine the milk and sugar as per the recipe, but include the vanilla too.
3. Put the double cream in a roomy bowl and beat to the 'floppy' stage: use electric beaters if possible.
4. Fold the sweetened milk into the whipped cream.
5. Put the mixture in a chilled container and freeze for 1 hour, then stir or hand whisk to incorporate any frozen bits from around the edges.
6. Add the rhubarb and crumble pieces as per the recipe, swirling through the ice cream. Return to the freezer for another hour.
7. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and stir to incorporate any frozen bits again. Repeat twice more over the next 2 hours.
8. Return to the freezer until your preferred consistency is reached.

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