The trouble with homemade ice cream, in my experience at least, is its half-life: what tastes smooth and creamy, light and airy on day one, becomes icy and hard, choppy and crystalized on day two. The texture after a day in the freezer just doesn’t compare to the best store-bought varieties. So when I tried Jeni’s Splendid ice cream recipe for the first time a few weeks ago, what struck me more than the flavor — dark chocolate heightened by coffee — was the texture: dense and creamy, almost chewy, a consistency that persisted for days. Jeni’s ice cream scoops as well as the big dogs even after a week in the freezer. For those unfamiliar with Jeni, let me fill you in: Jeni Bauer opened Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 in Columbus, Ohio, and her company now operates nine shops in Ohio and one in Tennessee. In her book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, Jeni shares her ice cream base recipe, which can be transformed however your heart desires. So far, I’ve made the darkest chocolate ice cream in the world, a recipe from Jeni’s book, and this rhubarb ice cream, a combination of Jeni’s base and a vanilla-bean flecked rhubarb jam, which I only wish I could can by the barrel-full before rhubarb season passes. Made without water or pectin, this jam comes together in about 25 minutes. It is spring preserved in a jar, and I only fear it might distract you from making this most-delicious, subtle and springy rhubarb ice cream. It will take utmost discipline to stay on course, to not be lured by visions of homemade bread and toasted English muffins and buttermilk currant scones. One bite of this brilliant magenta-hued jam, and I worry all ice cream-making aspirations will melt away. And I can’t blame you. Just know that if you do get around to making the ice cream, you will go to sleep happy and wake dreaming of new ice cream flavors — toasted coconut, buttermilk almond, salted caramel come to mind. Sweet dreams, Everyone, and happy almost weekend.
Ingredients for Jeni’s Splendid base recipe: Rhubarb purée and ice cream base:
OK, as I noted above, I love this jam, and what would make me so happy is if you decided to make both the jam and the ice cream. Soooo, if you’re planning on visiting a farmers’ market this weekend, maybe consider picking up a few pounds of rhubarb? I promise it will be worth it. If you are feeling very motivated, your weekend cooking experiments will take no time if you start by making Jeni’s Splendid ice cream base today or tomorrow — you might have all of the ingredients on hand. I’m not trying to distact you from making ice cream, but if you get around to making both the jam and the ice cream, you may as well bake up a couple loaves of peasant bread: No reviews Source: Saveur via Megabite and Food52 Rhubarb Purée: Adapted from Chef de Cuisine No reviews
