Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwiches

ingredients

For the Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam

• 2 cups / 200 g rhubarb, washed and trimmed
• 1 cup / 150 g strawberries, washed and trimmed
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• a pinch vanilla powder

For the Raw Hazelnut Wafer

• 1 1/2 cup / 200 g hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup / 50 g rolled oats or oat flour
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• a pinch sea salt
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 16 soft dates (7 oz / 200 g), pitted

For the Rhubarb Ice Cream

• 1 cup / 250 g quark cheese (or strained greek yogurt)
• 1 cup / 250 g mascarpone (or more quark cheese)
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup / 250 ml Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam (see recipe above)

method

Start by making the jam. Slice rhubarb and strawberries thinly and add them to a sauce pan together with the rest of the jam ingredients. Cook on low heat for approx. 20 minutes until soft. Use a hand blender to mix it if you prefer it smooth, or leave it chunky. Let cool entirely. Meanwhile, prepare the raw hazelnut wafer.

Add hazelnuts, rolled oats, cacao powder and salt to a food processor and mix thoroughly until the texture resembles sand. Pour into a separate bowl. Add dates and coconut oil to the food processor and mix into a paste. Pour the mixed nuts back and pulse everything until it’s combined into a dough. Roll it into a log and divide into two equal halves. Use a pen to copy the exact size of the baking dish onto a baking paper, then roll out one of the wafer dough halves on the baking sheet until it has the right shape, use a second baking sheet on top to prevent the rolling pin from sticking. Transfer the baking paper with the wafer to the baking dish and place in the freezer while preparing the ice cream (or vegan version further down).

Combine quark cheese, mascarpone and 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you prefer it) in a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup / 125 ml of the cooled rhubarb & strawberry jam. Stir until combined. Take out the baking dish from the freezer and pour the ice cream mixture on top. Spoon more jam on top (roughly 1/2 cup / 100-150 ml) and use a spoon to swirl it evenly. Put back in the freezer for 1-2 hours to firm up.

Roll out the second half of the wafer dough using the same method as the first. Use a fork to make hole patterns and then turn it upside-down on to a second baking sheet. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and carefully transfer the wafer on top of the ice cream. Put it back in the freezer for 3-4 hours until completely firm. Then take it out, cut into 10 rectangles or 20 squares using a sharp knife dipped in hot water, wrap with baking paper and store in the freezer.

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Drain the soaked cashew nuts and add them to a high-speed blender together with coconut milk, maple syrup and lemon juice. Mix on high speed until smooth. Add 1/2 cup / 100-150 ml of the cooled rhubarb & strawberry jam and pulse until combined. Take out the baking dish from the freezer and pour the ice cream mixture on top. Spoon more jam on top (roughly 1/2 cup / 100-150 ml) and use a spoon to swirl it evenly. Put back in the freezer for 1-2 hours to firm up. Follow the remaining instructions in the main recipe.

Here’s another rhubarb treat I did the other day. I didn’t follow an exact recipe but I kind of based it on this recipe from our archive and replaced the grated apple with lots of rhubarb jam and the apple slices on top with rhubarb and strawberry bits. Skip the cinnamon on top and just add a little cardamom to the batter, in case you feel like trying it.