After our swim class this morning, my son was chatting away about how he wanted to make homemade ice cream.  I mentioned it to him the other day and he’s been talking about it ever since.  I have the exact ice cream machine that my parents used when I was a kid, and of course don’t use it nearly enough.  I will never forget the strawberry ice cream that my Mom made when I was little.  So, I wanted to do something similar with Caelan as well.

So, after cleaning the kitchen, I set to work prepping the ingredients.  I soon learned that cleaning before was a dumb idea… the kitchen was soon covered in sugar, milk, and lots of salt from the ice cream maker.  Lots… LOTS of salt.

I also realized that after about 5 minutes, we were no longer making the ice cream as a team… apparently the attention span for a 3 year old cooking is not very long.  But, I plugged away and made it.

I made this recipe from this month’s Cooking Light Magazine.. and I must say it turned out great.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Ice Cream
Cooking Light, May 2010

Serves: 10 (3/4 c per serving)
WW points: 4

2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup half-and-half
1  cup  sugar, divided
3  large egg yolks
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
1/3 cup fruity red wine (such as merlot) – I used cranberry juice here instead
3 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 1 pound)

Combine milk and half-and-half in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat milk mixture to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Combine 1/2 cup sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until pale yellow. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour the egg yolk mixture into pan with remaining milk mixture; cook over medium-low heat until a thermometer registers 160° (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 20 minutes or until custard cools completely, stirring occasionally.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, rhubarb, and wine (juice) in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and liquid is syrupy. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Combine rhubarb mixture and strawberries in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon; discard solids. Stir rhubarb mixture into custard mixture.

Pour custard into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Drain ice water from freezer bucket; repack with salt and ice. Cover with kitchen towels, and let stand 1 hour or until firm.

~M