Rhubarb Chamomile Graham Cracker Ice Cream
Vanilla chamomile ice cream base with rhubarb compote and graham cracker crumbles swirled throughout, this chamomile rhubarb graham cracker ice cream is tart yet sweet and perfect for summer!
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
freezing & Chilling12 hours hrs
Total Time13 hours hrs
Course: Afternoon Kaffee, Dessert
Cuisine: American, German
Keyword: chamomile, graham cracker, ice cream, rhubarb
Servings: 20
Calories: 270kcal
Chamomile Ice Cream Base
- 700 grams whole milk
- 5 grams chamomile tea
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract add 1 teaspoon vanilla paste if not using chamomile tea
- 425 grams sugar
- 40 grams corn starch
- 500 grams heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Rhubarb Compote
- 350 grams rhubarb
- 150 grams water
- 125 grams granulated sugar
- 18 grams corn starch
- 70 grams lemon juice
Chamomile Ice Cream Base
In a large pot add in all of the milk and heat over medium low heat on the stove until just almost simmering. Turn off the heat and place the chamomile tea into the milk, cover and let steep for 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, take the tea out and squeeze out any excess milk. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the corn starch, sugar, and the salt. Pour in the chamomile milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture back into the large pot and bring to a simmer until everything has dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly.
Once you see a couple bubbles, turn the heat off and whisk in the heavy cream. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large shallow dish or a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a layer of plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge until cold.
This can be made the night before or day of as long as it has 4-6 hours to chill in the fridge.
Rhubarb Compote
Rinse and chop off the ends of the rhubarb. Cut the stalks into roughly 2-3" long pieces and add them into a large pot with water and half of the sugar. Cover the pot and place over medium low heat until the rhubarb begins to break down.
Uncover the pot and continue to cook the rhubarb down until about half of the liquid has been reduced. Reduce the heat to low.
In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining sugar and corn starch, stir in the lemon juice until smooth. Pour this mixture into the pot with the rhubarb and cook on medium low, stirring frequently until the first bubbles start to appear.
Remove from the heat and pour into a large shallow dish to cool. Cover the surface with a layer of plastic wrap until it reaches room temp.
Churn the Ice Cream
Set up your ice cream maker according to the instructions.
Turn the ice cream machine on and pour in the chamomile cream base. Leave the machine running until it looks like soft serve. This can take up to 20-25 minutes depending on the machine.
While the ice cream is churning, line a loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
Once the ice cream is churned and ready, stop the machine and pour 1/4 of the ice cream into the lined pan. Use a fork to swirl in 1/4 of the rhubarb mixture and then crumble about 4 graham crackers on top.
Repeat layering the ice cream, rhubarb and graham crackers in 3 more additions until they have been used up. I recommend only doing a little bit of the graham cracker on top because it won't absorb as well into the ice cream.
Smooth out the top and cover it with plastic wrap or another sheet of parchment paper. Place in the freezer for a minimum of 6 hours or up to overnight to firm up.
Store in the freezer and take out as needed. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before scooping.
Tips for making Homemade Ice Cream
- High quality milk such as Maple Hill or Ronny Brook will make a huge difference for the base flavor of the ice cream!
- If you can't find rhubarb you could also do strawberry or raspberry jam swirled into the ice cream!
- For a gluten free version of this ice cream you could use gluten free graham crackers or chopped up candied almonds are also amazing!
- I haven't tested this as a no churn ice cream so for now you will need an ice cream maker but this stand mixer attachment makes it super easy!
- Don't over churn the ice cream. The mixture should look like a very soft, soft serve. If you let it go too long, the ice cream won't be nice and smooth.
- Ideally leave the ice cream to freeze overnight but if you're in a pinch you can always serve it as soft serve in a bowl on the same day.
Serving: 1large scoop | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 0.5mg