Rhubarb Ice Cream With a Caramel Swirl

By Melissa Clark

Updated May 1, 2024

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
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Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling and freezing time
Cook Time
About 1 hour 30 minutes, plus overnight chill and freeze time
Rating
5(220)
Comments
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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

  • 1 and ½ cups whole milk

  • 1 and ¾ cup plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • Pinch fine sea salt

  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

  • 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

  • 1 and ½ cups sour cream

  • ¾ pound rhubarb, cut into ½-inch dice

  • ½ cup heavy cream

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Step 5

    Pour the custard base into an ice cream machine and churn. Add rhubarb compote for the last minute of churning.

  6. 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.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
220 user ratings
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Comments

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.

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.

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!

Mel

@J As this is your hypothesis I think you should test it and report back to us!

Karen C

has anyone ever made this with greek yogurt rather than sour cream?

J

Q for Melissa: I have heard that rhubarb can be cooked with combo of Sweet Cecily & Angelica which breaks down the oxalic acid in the rhubarb & because of the anethole in Sweet Cicely you do not need to add sugar to the rhubarb. Would you be open to testing this out and reporting back on ratios needed? With Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata,) the leaves would be used. Angelica (Angelica archangelica,) it is the root that is used, from what I understand. Thank you!

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