Seasonal Sorbets & Ice Cream Recipe

Make a simple syrup and cook rhubarb

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chopped rhubarb, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently 6–8 minutes until rhubarb is very tender and starting to break down. Remove from heat.

Add strawberries and cool

Stir the quartered strawberries into the warm rhubarb mixture and let sit 10 minutes to soften the berries. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth (about 1 minute). Taste and adjust sweetness with up to 2 tablespoons more sugar if needed.

Chill the sorbet base

Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and fibrous bits, pressing with a spatula. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Chilling thoroughly ensures a smoother texture when churning.

Churn and freeze

Pour the chilled sorbet base into a pre-frozen ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes). Transfer sorbet to a shallow airtight container, smooth the top, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and freeze at least 3 hours to firm up.

Infuse cream with lavender

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream with 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender and a pinch of salt. Warm over medium heat until tiny bubbles form at the edges and it’s steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat and let steep 20–30 minutes for a subtle lavender infusion.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar

While the cream steeps, whisk 6 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes.

Temper yolks

Re-warm the infused cream until steaming again. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot cream into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper (prevent scrambling). Continue adding another cup until yolks are warmed. Then pour the yolk-cream mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.

Cook custard to nappe

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, scraping the bottom, until it coats the back of the spoon and reaches about 175–180°F (80–82°C) — thick enough to leave a line when you run your finger across the spoon (nappe). Do not boil.

Strain and add honey & vanilla

Immediately remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove lavender bits and any bits of cooked egg. Stir in 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Taste and add a little more honey if you prefer a sweeter profile (up to 1 more tsp).

Chill custard

Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture and allows flavors to marry.

Churn and harden

Pour the cold custard into a pre-frozen ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve texture (typically 20–30 minutes). Spoon into an airtight container, smooth the top, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and freeze at least 3–4 hours to firm up.

Scoop and plate

Scoop the strawberry-rhubarb sorbet and honey-lavender ice cream into chilled bowls or cones. For a composed plate, place one large scoop of each side-by-side for contrast.

Garnish

Top with a fresh mint leaf, a sprinkle of lemon zest over the sorbet to brighten, and a few crushed pistachios over the ice cream for texture and color. Serve immediately.

Make ahead and storage

Both ice creams keep well in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To soften before serving, place container in refrigerator for 20–30 minutes or leave at room temperature 8–12 minutes then stir briefly with a chilled spoon to smooth.