Every year our rhubarb grows like a weed! I make the usual desserts and jam with it and chop and freeze a lot of it for eating later. I'm always on the look out for a new way to use the rhubarb and found this recipe, which I tweaked a little bit. It makes approximately 2 litres of ice cream. I found it a little sweet for my taste, but my menfolk declared it perfect! This time I used plain white flour, but usually when making a crumble I use wholemeal flour as it adds a lovely nutty taste and that would work well in this ice cream too.
For the ice cream base
1kg fresh rhubarb, chopped into 2cm chunks
200g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
700ml double cream
1 x 397g tin of condensed milk
For the crumble
200g plain flour
150g unsalted butter
150g light muscovado sugar
100g porridge oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a few drops of vanilla extract (optional)
1. Place the chopped rhubarb in a saucepan with the caster sugar and cinnamon. Add water to almost cover the fruit. Bring to the boil and simmer until the rhubarb has completely softened.
2. Strain the fruit through a sieve, reserving the liquid. Set fruit to one side in a bowl and return the liquid to the saucepan. Simmer until thick and syrupy.
3. Pour the reduced liquid over the rhubarb and leave to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 140'C fan.
5. Make the crumble by rubbing the butter into the flour. You are aiming for fine breadcrumbs, but it doesn't matter if it is a little lumpy - mine was!
6. Stir muscovado sugar, oats and cinnamon into the flour mixture. Add vanilla if using.
7. Spread out on a large baking tray and bake for approximately 20 minutes, stirring halfway though. Remove from oven when crumble is golden brown. Allow to cool.
8. Whisk together the cream and condensed milk to the soft peaks stage.
9. Into the cream, stir the rhubarb and 3/4 of the crumble mixture.
10. Transfer into a freezable container(s) and sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the top.
11. Freeze for 8 hours. Remove from the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before eating to allow the ice cream to soften slightly.
