Roasted Rhubarb And Strawberry Crumble Ice Cream

After a period of nothing but cold, rainy days we have at last seen some sunshine in the UK! Finally an excuse to break out the ice cream maker (not that I need an excuse). This roasted rhubarb and strawberry crumble ice cream is an ideal ice cream for spring; full of seasonal fruit with a sweet, fresh, slightly tangy flavour and plenty of chunks of crisp, buttery crumble.

One issue with making fruit flavoured ice creams is that it can be difficult to pack in enough flavour without the ice cream becoming, well, icy; due to the high water content of fruit. To solve this problem, I roast the fruit first which cooks off some of the excess liquid thereby intensifying the flavour, so you end up with a deliciously fruity ice cream that is still smooth and creamy. A dash of balsamic vinegar helps to further intensify the flavour though you can omit it if you prefer (you can’t taste it in the ice cream).

I made a tangy rhubarb and strawberry sauce to serve alongside the ice cream, purely because I had some extra fruit left over that I wanted to use up. It is completely optional of course, but it is extremely delicious, and if there is any left over it is delicious on pancakes or yoghurt

Do make sure that you start making the ice cream at least the day before you want to serve it as the custard needs to be thoroughly chilled before it is churned in the ice cream maker, and the ice cream will need at least a couple of hours in the freezer to firm up before serving.

I originally made this roasted rhubarb and strawberry crumble ice cream for DIYs, check them out for some awesome craft and recipe ideas.

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Roasted Rhubarb And Strawberry Crumble Ice Cream

Ingredients

Ice Cream

• 225 g (9oz, about 4 sticks) rhubarb chopped
• 225 g (9oz) hulled strawberries chopped
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) double (heavy) cream
• 480 ml (2 cups) full fat milk
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumble:

• 100 g (3/4 cup + 1Tbsp) plain flour
• 75 g (1/4 cup + 1Tbsp) butter
• 60 g (1/3 cup) light brown soft sugar

Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce:

• 125 g (4.5oz) rhubarb
• 125 g (4.5oz) hulled strawberries
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
• 65 g (1/3 cup) sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Ice Cream:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Spread the rhubarb and strawberries out in a single layer in a roasting tin and drizzle over the honey and balsamic vinegar. Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until the fruit is completely soft and the juices have reduced to a syrup.

2. Scrape the fruit and all of the juices into a blender and puree until completely smooth. Cover and place in the fridge until needed.
3. Pour the cream into a large bowl and place a sieve over the top. Whisk the egg yolks and cornflour together in a large heat-proof bowl. Place the milk and sugar in a pan, stir until the sugar has dissolved then heat until just simmering.
4. Very gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking the whole time. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Make sure that you don’t let it boil or you may end up with scrambled egg.
5. Pour the custard through the sieve into the cream and whisk to combine. Add the rhubarb strawberry puree and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. If you like, you can add a couple of drops of pink gel food colouring to really bring out the pink colour. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight.
6. While the custard is chilling make the crumble. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub the butter in using your fingertips until is resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar then spread the mixture out on a baking tray and press it down gently.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool then break it up into small chunks. Store in an airtight container until needed.
8. Once the custard is completely cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions until the ice cream is firm.
9. Stir through most of the crumble, reserving a bit to sprinkle on the top then transfer the ice cream to a container, scatter over the remaining crumble and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce:

1. To make the rhubarb strawberry sauce (if using), place the rhubarb, strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook at a gentle simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the fruit is soft.
2. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve then cover and refrigerate until cold.