Tart and Creamy Rhubarb Buttermilk Sherbet

The first time I tried rhubarb, I was 22 years old. How I managed to live so long without enjoying the earthy tang of that vibrant stalk, I have no idea. But now that I’ve been introduced to its beauty, I find every excuse to use it all season long.

Lately, frozen is my favorite form of consumption. And this rhubarb buttermilk sherbet hits all the right spots. It’s creamy, tangy, tart, and sweet, not to mention super simple to make.

Rhubarb and buttermilk are a natural pair. The bright, tart flavors of fresh rhubarb fade as it cooks, revealing its sweet earthy undertones. When combined with tangy buttermilk, the interplay of the subtle tart, the creamy tang, and the touch of sweet dance on the tongue in flavorful harmony.

Very similar in process to making sorbet, sherbet is differentiated by the addition of dairy. It’s lighter than ice cream, and faster to make – basically the perfect dessert.

Though the fruit in sorbet and sherbet is typically raw, rhubarb must be cooked in order to break down its fibrous stalks, and unlock the earthy flavor notes.

Macerating the raw stalks in sugar first accelerates this process, by drawing water out of the vegetable. Once cooked and cooled, the rhubarb just needs a quick buzz in the blender with buttermilk, and it’s ready to churn.

The Recipe

Rhubarb Buttermilk Sherbet

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Servings

12 servings

Servings 12 servings

Rhubarb Buttermilk Sherbet Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Servings 12 servings Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups rhubarb
• 1 cup granulated Sugar plus more as needed
• 2 cups buttermilk

Servings: servings

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Prepare ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure to freeze the bowl ahead of time if required!
2. Wash the rhubarb and trim its base and stems, if necessary. If your rhubarb has a clean cut on each end, there is no need to trim, but if the ends have browned or the stems are a bit green, you’ll want give them a clean break to remove these parts.
3. Chop the rhubarb into one-inch pieces, stir together with sugar in a medium-sized pot, and let sit at room temperature for one hour to macerate.
4. Cook the rhubarb, sugar, and all its juices on low heat, stirring regularly, until the chunks of rhubarb have disintegrated.
5. Chill over an ice bath for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes.
6. Blend the rhubarb with the buttermilk in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender.
7. Conduct an egg test: place a clean, dry egg in the base to test its sugar ratio. If the egg sinks, remove it and blend in additional sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until the egg stays afloat.
8. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prepare your ice cream maker

Every machine works a bit differently. If yours requires a frozen bowl, make sure you freeze it 12-24 hours in advance! If using a rock salt maker, be sure you have the ice and salt necessary to churn.

To make this batch, I used the KitchenAid KICA0WH ice cream maker attachment, a frozen bowl designed for my KitchenAid stand mixer. To read more about this particular model, check out Foodal’s review here.

Step 2 – Wash and trim your rhubarb

If you’ve picked rhubarb straight from your garden, you will definitely want to be sure to wash and trim it. The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous, so make sure no small leaves or stems remain.

If you purchased your rhubarb at the market or grocery store, it has likely already been cleaned up for you. Nevertheless, it is good to check the ends and make sure you trim the tips if they have browned.

Step 3 – Chop, stir, and let sit

Chop the rhubarb into roughly one-inch pieces. Place in a medium-sized pot and stir together with the sugar. As this sits at room temperature, the sugar will draw water out of the vegetable.

This creates a nice rhubarb juice, and begins to break down the fibrous stalks.

Step 4 – Cook your rhubarb

Cook the rhubarb, sugar, and all of its juices on low heat. Stir regularly so that nothing burns on the bottom of the pot. In about 20 minutes, the chunks of rhubarb will start to break down into a smooth sauce.

Step 5 – Chill the rhubarb

Transfer the chopped fruit into a glass or metal bowl. Nest this in a larger bowl of ice and stir regularly. After an hour, the rhubarb should be chilled completely, and cool to the touch.

Step 6 – Blend

Blend the rhubarb and buttermilk together with a blender, food processor, or immersion blender until completely smooth.

To make this batch, I used my Cuisinart 2-speed immersion blender. Check out Foodal’s review of this immersion blender, as well as several other models, here.

Step 7 – Perform the egg test

The egg test is the best way to determine whether you have enough sugar in your base. Without enough sugar, the sherbet will freeze solid and be difficult to scoop.

Because the exact amount of sugar in rhubarb differs with each stalk, it is helpful to have a way of testing your batch before freezing. With enough sugar, the egg will float at the top of the puree.

Place a clean, dry egg in your base. If it floats, you are good to go. If not, remove the egg and blend in additional sugar one tablespoon at a time, until the egg can stay afloat.

Step 8 – Churn

Churn your sherbet according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For my KitchenAid attachment, this meant turning the machine on, pouring in the base, and letting the mixer go for about half an hour.

Most ice cream makers will freeze the base up to soft-serve texture. It can be delicious straight from the bowl, but if you desire a firmer texture, you can also transfer to a lidded container and pop in the freezer for a few hours.

This tart treat is a fun new way to use rhubarb. Without the heavy cream or eggs of ice cream, sherbet is a light alternative that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.

Its eye-catching hue matches its vibrant taste, which is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

If you’re begging for even more desserts featuring this gorgeously hued ingredient, try our recipe for rhubarb strawberry crumble for an easy treat, or our homemade pie.

About Kendall Vanderslice

Kendall’s love of food has taken her around the world. From baking muffins on a ship in West Africa and milking cows with Tanzanian Maasai, to hunting down the finest apfelstrudel in Austria, she continually seeks to understand the global impact of food. Kendall holds a BA in Anthropology from Wheaton College and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University, and has worked in the pastry departments of many of Boston’s top kitchens. Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Kendall helps to run a small community supported bread bakery and writes about the intersection of food, faith, and culture on her personal blog, A Vanderslice of the Sweet Life.

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