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Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp with Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry rhubarb crips topped with strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

The gift of spring every year in my garden is the rhubarb. I didn’t plant it, I don’t care for it, but every spring it pops up and provides me with such a thrill. As soon as the stalks are thick enough to hold the weight of their leaves I start to pluck them out of the ground. I really should wait, but those first tender stalks are the best of the year and I can’t resist. They usually just get dipped in sugar and eaten as is.

Now the rhubarb leaves are enormous and starting to take over, the stalks are heartier, but still tender and ready for baking. Strawberry rhubarb crisp, to be precise, with fresh strawberry ice cream. I wish I could say the strawberries came from my garden as well, but the squirrels did those in a few years ago and I haven’t planted new ones.

The flat of strawberries I bought at the store were excellent, it bodes well for the season. Bright in color, sweet and firm. My husband’s all-time favorite ice cream is strawberry and I’ve been trying to make the perfect batch. I think this one is the closest. It has to have intense flavor, but not be icy or grainy from too much fruit. The technique I use for making sorbet, mixed with an ice cream base I adapted from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop turned out to be the key.

Bowl of strawberry and bunch of rhubarb | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

How to Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

See me make this dessert step-by-step here, then head to the bottom of this post for the full recipe!

Topping

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, spices and zest in a bowl. Add the melted butter and toss until it is all well combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and gather ten 4-ounce Ramekins or a 8-Inch Square Baking Dish.

Chopped strawberries and chopped rhubarb | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Chop the rhubarb and strawberries.

Sugar, water and orange zest boiling in large pot | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

In a medium sized sauce pan bring the sugar, water and zest to a simmer. Allow to cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Cooking rhubarb in large pot | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Add the rhubarb and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring on occasion so that it cooks evenly. You want to soften the rhubarb, allow it to release its juices, but not turn to mush.

Combining rhubarb and strawberries for crisp | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Remove from the heat and toss in the strawberries. We want them to give up their juices too, but not get too mushy. The residual heat of the rhubarb is enough to get the job done. Allow to cool.

Mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Once the rhubarb-strawberry mixture is cooled add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit, which will make it milky looking.

Strawberry rhubarb crips topped with strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Divide the fruit mixture between the cups and top with the streusel.

Strawberry rhubarb crips topped with strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Bake for about 20 minutes or until it is bubbling and the juice is transparent again, this means the cornstarch is properly cooked.

Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream:

The trick to getting a smooth ice cream that doesn’t have big chunks of rock hard frozen strawberries, is to cook the strawberries slightly first!

Water, sugar and vanilla bean in large pot | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Cook the water, sugar and vanilla bean until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the strawberries and simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Strawberries in a large pot | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

The strawberries will still be whole, but wilted after releasing their juices. Allow them to cool and refrigerate before using them.

Prepare the ice cream base at least several hours before using, but preferably the day before to allow it to set up properly.

Preparing ice bath for strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Prepare an ice bath to cool your ice cream custard. Place ice in a large bowl, fill that bowl 1/2 way with cold water. Place another bowl into the ice water. Make sure the bowl is big enough to hold all of the ice cream custard.

In a medium sauce pan gently heat the half & half, sugar and salt. Place your yolks in a medium sized bowl and whisk so they are smooth. While whisking, slowly drizzle a cup of the hot cream over the yolks.

When the yolks feel warm add them back to the pot of cream and cook on low heat, just until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon. Immediately remove from heat.

Cool the custard in the ice bath until well chilled. Transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better to achieve the smoothest texture.

Straining strawberry mixture for ice cream  | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Once you are ready to make the ice cream strain the strawberries.

Blending strawberries for ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Use a Hand Blender to chop them up. I like to keep some chunks of strawberry, but you may prefer to puree it. Stir the strawberries into your ice cream base and freeze according the Ice Cream Maker instructions.

Scooping strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

The ice cream should be set up, but still soft like ice cream from Dairy Queen. In other words don’t let it spin so long that it is hard enough to scoop. If you let it go that far it may get grainy and a little bit greasy tasting. Transfer it to a container that you have chilled in the freezer. Freeze the ice cream for a couple of hours. This may seem like a long time to wait, but the texture of the ice cream you get will be so worth it!

Strawberry rhubarb crips topped with strawberry ice cream | ZoëBakes | Photo by Zoë François

Put the ice cream on the warm Strawberry-Rhubarb crisp and it will make you happy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp topped with Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp with Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

Anything with sweet, juicy strawberries and freshly picked rhubarb is a tasty summer treat. This strawberry-rhubarb crips with strawberry ice cream packs all the flavor you want from summer harvests.
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Course: Desserts

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 4 cups rhubarb leaves removed, washed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 cups strawberries washed, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Streusel Crisp Topping

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour I've also made it with all-purpose and whole wheat
  • 1 cup rolled oats not instant
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 stick butter melted

Strawberry Ice Cream

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped into the pot
  • 3 cups strawberries washed, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 cups half & half
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 5 large egg yolks

Instructions

Streusel Crisp Topping

  • Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, spices and zest in a bowl. Add the melted butter and toss until it is all well combined. Set aside.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and gather 10 four-ounce Ramekins or a 8-Inch Square Baking Dish.
  • In a medium sized sauce pan bring the sugar, water and zest to a simmer. Allow to cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Add the chopped rhubarb and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring on occasion so that it cooks evenly. You want to soften the rhubarb, allow it to release its juices, but not turn to mush.
  • Remove from the heat and toss in the chopped strawberries. We want them to give up their juices too, but not get too mushy. The residual heat of the rhubarb is enough to get the job done. Allow to cool.
  • Mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Once the rhubarb-strawberry mixture is cooled add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit, which will make it milky looking. Divide the fruit mixture between the cups and top with the streusel.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until it is bubbling and the juice is transparent again, this means the cornstarch is properly cooked.

Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream

  • The trick to getting a smooth ice cream that doesn't have big chunks of rock hard frozen strawberries, is to cook the strawberries slightly first! Cook the water, sugar and vanilla bean until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the strawberries and simmer on low for 5 minutes. The strawberries will still be whole, but wilted after releasing their juices. Allow them to cool and refrigerate before using them.
  • Prepare the ice cream base at least several hours before using, but preferably the day before to allow it to set up properly.
  • Prepare an ice bath to cool your ice cream custard. Place ice in a large bowl, fill that bowl 1/2 way with cold water. Place another bowl into the ice water. Make sure the bowl is big enough to hold all of the ice cream custard.
  • In a medium sauce pan gently heat the half & half, sugar and salt. Place your yolks in a medium sized bowl and whisk so they are smooth. While whisking, slowly drizzle a cup of the hot cream over the yolks.
  • When the yolks feel warm add them back to the pot of cream and cook on low heat, just until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon. Immediately remove from heat.
  • Cool the custard in the ice bath until well chilled. Transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better to achieve the smoothest texture.
  • Once you are ready to make the ice cream strain the strawberries. Use a Hand Blender to chop them up. I like to keep some chunks of strawberry, but you may prefer to puree it. Stir the strawberries into your ice cream base and freeze according the Ice Cream Maker instructions.
  • The ice cream should be set up, but still soft like ice cream from Dairy Queen. In other words don't let it spin so long that it is hard enough to scoop. If you let it go that far it may get grainy and a little bit greasy tasting. Transfer it to a container that you have chilled in the freezer. Freeze the ice cream for a couple of hours. This may seem like a long time to wait, but the texture of the ice cream you get will be so worth it!
  • Serve the strawberry-rhubarb crisp with your creamy strawberry ice cream and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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28 thoughts to “Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp with Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream”

  1. Sounds so good, I have Rhubarb in my garden ready to be made into this yummy crisp. I never made Rhubarb crisp in little dishes like this. This will be something new to try. I can’t wait.

  2. A friend had given me your site for which I am very happy to have discovered…this after my sister-in-law had purchased your very interesting bread book. I’m glad that I figured the connection.
    Now, I’ll be able to follow your posts a little closer.
    Confession…I still have not baked my first bread…What am I waiting for?
    Strawberries and rhubarb are certainly an all time combo…so I’m sure this one should be a winning recipe too ;0)
    Flavourful wishes, Claudia

  3. Yea–you’re back. I’ve missed you. Isn’t rhubarb wonderful the way it just pops up in the spring? Your crisp looks delicious; it’s especially interesting that you “precook” the fruit before it goes into the oven. I must give it a try.

    1. Hi Mkg,

      Thank you so much! I precook the fruit so that the crisp doesn’t “deflate” as it is baking. Otherwise you end up with half the filling you wanted.

      Enjoy, Zoë

  4. I made strawberry rhubarb crisp a couple of weeks ago and your pictures are making me want it again… I wish I had the talent to make the strawberry ice cream to go with it, but I settled for vanilla…it doesn’t get much better than a warm fruit crisp with cold ice cream!

  5. So nice to read yet another post Zoe..have been looking forward to reading your posts,and waiting for it!

  6. You’re back…I’m so glad! This strawberry ice cream recipe was worth the wait, I’m thinking…can’t wait to try it.

  7. If it’s David Leibovitz’s recipe, I made that last summer with the chocolate mint that took over my backyard, and it was the best ice cream I ever made or had. Yummmmmmmmmm.

  8. I made the crisp this weekend! So tasty! I didn’t have rhubarb but had a huge flat of strawberries so I used all berry. The only issue I had was I used a baking dish so it took about 2x as long to cook. It was worth the extra time 🙂 yummy!

    1. Hi Sara,

      So glad you tried it and enjoyed the strawberry crisp! I will add the extra baking time to the larger baking dish to the post, thanks!

      Zoë

  9. I’m glad to see you’re posting again. I’m not a rhubarb fan either, but there are so many healthy benefits that I’m trying to become one. Maybe with all these strawberries, I’ll like it better. A friend of mine just posted a recipe that pairs rhubarb with pork, so I’m going to try that too. Here’s her link: http://www.almostslowfood.com/2010/05/pork-roast-with-rhubarb-compote.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AlmostSlowfood+(Almost+Slowfood)

  10. Oh this is simply the perfect dessert for a summer day! What a pity though I have the most difficult time here in Texas finding Rhubarb. I miss those days living in Shelburne Vermont we had our own little farm with almost any fruit you wanted. I will have to search and see if I can find it from a local farmer, as this is on my must try list!

  11. What is the correct measurement for flour? It reads: 1 cup 1 cup… is that a misprint and it’s a total of one cup?

    1. Hi Karen, thanks for letting us know. That was just a typo. It should be 1 cup. Happy baking!

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