Rhubarb and custard ice cream.

As promised, I am back to share with you another rhubarb recipe. And another one equally as appropriate for this heatwave we are currently experiencing! On a day like today, all I have the energy for is finding a cool shady spot to sit in with a good book. And of course, a bowl of ice cream wouldn't go amiss either. That's where this recipe comes in. I've always wanted to have a go at making ice cream, and now the weather is finally right for it, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. What with the abundance of rhubarb we've had in our garden as well, I decided to stir some through and see what it would be like. I was not disappointed!

Usually to make ice cream, you have to have an ice cream maker, or at least remember to take it out of the freezer every half hour or so to give it a good stir. As I do not have an ice cream maker, nor do I have the energy to use my arms more than I have to when I am melting even in the shade, I was a bit stuck! Luckily, I managed to find a recipe that didn't require an ice cream maker though and there was no stirring required during freezing. Bonus. And actually, it was really easy to make and tasted just like the dairy ice cream you can buy from little farm shops in the countryside. The ice cream itself was very sweet, so a touch of tartness from the rhubarb complemented it just nicely. And I had a bit of caramel sauce left over from another recipe I made so I stirred that through as well. You can't eat a lot of this at once, as it is quite rich, but a couple of scoops as a treat is just perfect. Well, I say you can't, but the tub in our freezer has gone down surprisingly quickly.... I think that says it all!

Rhubarb and custard ice cream  (basic ice cream recipe from Mary Berry)

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

100g caster sugar

300ml double cream

1 cup chopped rhubarb

1/2 cup caster sugar

2tbsp caramel sauce (optional)

Method:

1. Begin by making the rhubarb purée.
2. Add the rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and 4tbsp of water to a pan and simmer gently until the rhubarb is soft.
3. Blend with a hand mixer until smooth.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
6. Slowly whisk in the caster sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
7. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until stiff peaks form. 
8. Fold the cream, egg yolks and rhubarb purée into the egg white mixture until well combined.
9. Stir through the caramel sauce, if using.
10. Freeze for at least 2 hours and enjoy!