Summer Nostalgia

15 May 2006

It seems like we can finally enjoy some beautiful summery weather – our garden hasn’t got many flowers yet but just being able to enjoy meals outside makes me happy (and hope that the cold miserable winter won’t come back…)

I recently posted about a dessert using rhubarb and strawberry, but having seen lots of rhubarb growing in our neighbour’s garden, decided to try an easy & interesting sounding recipe in Vogue Entertaining + Travel (vol.31). It’s Alastair Hendy’s and very much like his other recipes, it has a homely touch to it (I must confess that it was the picture rather than the recipe that first caught my eye :))
 


It’s rhubarb and almond flavoured yoghurt ice-cream with strawberry syrup – I followed his recipe (adjusting the quantities of some ingredients) and just froze the mixture in the end, but as I expected it became rather icy – I didn’t think the texture works very well with this kind of creamy taste, so I think I’m going to churn it in the ice-cream machine next time :) Also, I wasn’t really thinking when I was making it but it would be nicer to ripple the strawberry syrup throughout – otherwise, you only get one bite of strawberry flavour!

It tasted lovely despite those minor points though and makes you feel nostalgic (no, I’ve never had this dessert before but it does so all the same) – as opposed to the Claudia Fleming’s dessert above that has a rather elegant, sophisticated touch.

When you cook the rhubarb, you need to check how sweet it is – it’s likely that you’ll need to add more sugar than the recipe suggests.
 


 

Strawberry and rhubarb almond yoghurt ice lollies
 

makes about 10

200g strawberries
6 tablespoons caster sugar, plus extra to taste
squeeze of lemon juice
250g pink rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
80g ground almonds
250ml evaporated milk
200ml milk
450g Greek-style yoghurt
 

Choose suitable moulds (I used shot glasses) and cool in the freezer.

Place the strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and the lemon juice in a saucepan; simmer for about 5 minutes, then sieve out the seeds. Return the mixture to the pan and reduce to a thick syrup, and cool. Pour the syrup into the chilled moulds so that it runs down in lines, then freeze.

Cook the rhubarb in a saucepan with a tablespoon of water and 4 tablespoons sugar until soft, add more sugar if required and puree in a food processor.

Add the ground almonds to the evaporated milk and milk in a saucepan and heat; then set aside to cool. Finely sieve, squeezing out as much of the milk as possible and discard the solids.

Whiz the rhubarb, almond milk and yoghurt in a food processor until smooth. Chill and pour the mixture into the moulds – then freeze overnight (don’t forget to push in the lollipop sticks before they are completely frozen.) Or if you’re going to use an ice-cream machine, pipe the mixture into the moulds after churning and freeze.
 

Food - Sweet        33 comments    Permalink

  • Looks like a great summer dessert. Very lovely, Keiko!

    Posted by cath | 15 May 2006 #

  • Oh!

    I want an iced lolly! What a lovely treat. We are just beginning to see the rhubarb harvest and I’ll be keeping these in mind.

    Well done!

    Posted by Ivonne | 15 May 2006 #

  • Seems to be d�licious ! I like rhubarb so much ! and as usual perfects photos!

    Posted by mercotte | 15 May 2006 #

  • I made these too (or a variation anyway), and yes, for the same reasons... the photos were so gorgeous. I love your pictures too!

    Posted by L | 15 May 2006 #

  • They look adorable en delicious!

    Posted by linda | 15 May 2006 #

  • Oh so lovely! and I’m SO ready for a bit warmer weather.

    Great job, Keiko!

    Posted by Melissa | 15 May 2006 #

  • I think I have that magazine. Your creation looks just like the photo!

    Posted by Kat | 15 May 2006 #

  • Hello Keiko!

    This is really an original way of proposing a yoghurt ice!

    J’adore :)

    Posted by ooishigal | 15 May 2006 #

  • woooo ... finally summer is here & you loving it? :D well, actually we hate summer over in the tropics. As the saying goes, one man meat is anothers poison. hmm .. i guess that applies to weather as well hahaha ... just kidding & getting a little "off tropics" ;P

    rhubarb seems too alien to us in asia. i seen jamie oliver using them in his creme brulee recipe. it is said to be sour? but you use them in ice cream? intriguing .... the photos & colors are your usual high standards :)

    Posted by slurp! | 15 May 2006 #

  • Oh my god ! I can’t wait for the next outdoor meal ! This is soooooo beautiful !

    Posted by framboise | 15 May 2006 #

  • This is so funny!!! I made them too! with cherries though! I also used cones made with paper for a cone look. Like you, it is the pictures that made me want to try!

    Great pictures as always.

    Posted by Bea at La Tartine Gourmande | 15 May 2006 #

  • oooh my! that looks sooo sinful! lol! :-) nice pics keep it up!!

    Posted by toasted | 15 May 2006 #

  • This just SHOUTS of summer! Great way to jumpstart the season. :-)

    Posted by rowena | 15 May 2006 #

  • You made posh mini milks!!!!!

    Posted by Monkey Gland | 15 May 2006 #

  • Your posting reminds me how blessed I am to live in Los Angeles where we enjoy outdoor dining, and a garden full of flowers, year-round. Interestingly enough, I don’t believe that I’ve ever actually tasted rhubarb. Your picture makes me drool--maybe I should travel overseas to get my first taste of this veggie. Thanks for the inspiring post!

    Posted by Kevin | 16 May 2006 #

  • Another great recipe for the coming summer. Thanks, Keiko! (PS Your Paris pix were so irresistible that I’m flying down there this week:)

    Posted by Pille | 16 May 2006 #

  • Very beautiful and elegant looking. I love the first picture. There seems to be a lot of strawberry-rhubarb-inspired recipes right now, it’s great!

    Posted by Anita | 16 May 2006 #

  • Stunning! When I was young my mother used to have a pastic mould just for popsicles. Not nearly as lovely as yours, but they sure were practicle.

    Posted by Nosheteria | 16 May 2006 #

  • hi keiko, another gorgeous strawberry+rhubarb dessert - how beautiful they look! i’ve been in a bit of a pink mood too lately - inspired by your use of rose petal jam in an earlier dessert, i got some from hediard recently and am busy ’plotting’ what to do with it!

    Posted by Joycelyn | 16 May 2006 #

  • Wonderful Keiko!!

    ;-)

    Posted by Sandra | 16 May 2006 #

  • Love it! :-) wonderful summer lollies...I’d like to sell them at my shop now when the summer crowd is there.

    Posted by Maya | 16 May 2006 #

  • hurray for the summer sun, and goodbye to the winter chill! :)

    Posted by Lil | 16 May 2006 #

  • Wow, these look delicious. I love the addition of the almonds, so refreshing and perfect for summer!

    Posted by Dianka | 16 May 2006 #

  • Looks gorgeous as usual Keiko. They are so enticing - make me want to take one from the tray. Definitely a summer must do.

    Posted by mae | 17 May 2006 #

  • When I was a child I used to like eating yogurt with powdered sugar as a dessert. I did not think them as ice-cream cream lollies. I believe they are really delicious.

    Posted by Glutton Cat | 17 May 2006 #

  • yummmmmmmm! but i don’t have an ice cream maker! yet.......

    Posted by kishko | 18 May 2006 #

  • Hi there, thanks so much for all your kind notes.

    Ivonne - there seem to be so many ways to enjoy this vegetable :)

    L - your creation must be lovely too!

    Slurp - I know what you mean, I didn’t like the summer when I was in Japan either (although I kind of miss it now) - it’s so hot and humid, can’t do much in that heat. I’m still new to rhubarb - yes, it’s got a tangy flavour and ’rhubarb and custard’ is a typical combination here.

    Framboise - hope you’ll enjoy it :)

    Bea - I’m not a fan of cherries unfortunately but your creation must be lovely!

    MG - can you still get mini milks? (I didn’t know what they were!)

    Kevin - yes you’re *very* lucky to have lovely weather all year round :) This winter here was really cold and long, it made me feel down quite a bit! I hope you’ll have a chance to try rhubarb some time.

    Pille - horray! Have a great time!

    Noshteria - your mother must be a wonderful cook, so this dessert makes you feel nostalgic also...

    Joycelyn - can’t wait to see another of your elegant pink desserts!

    Maya - I love the idea :)

    Glutton Cat - this one doesn’t taste too yoghurt-y - it tastes more like almond milk with a slight hint of rhubarb, I’d say!

    Kishko - you don’t need an ice-cream maker for this, but I strongly recommend getting one if you’re an ice-cream lover :)

    Posted by keiko | 20 May 2006 #

  • Gorgeous Lolipops indeed!.. and tempting photos

    Posted by Gamelle | 27 May 2006 #

  • Thanks for sharing the recipe :) Just wanted to tell how great photographer you are. I adore your site. Plus I don’t really get how you get to make all the foods look like perfect.

    Posted by Ida | 3 August 2006 #

  • I tried this recipes and finally: perfect… Thank you for sharing…

    Posted by aysem | 12 April 2009 #

  • You always have such lovely props in your photos. Where did you buy these fantastic glasses?

    Posted by Francesca Melman | 5 May 2009 #

  • Wow, Keiko your photos are so engaging, majestic and uplifting – absolutely love your choice of recipes too. Thanks for being so inspiring and sharing your very talented energies.

    Posted by Cordelia | 8 June 2009 #

  • Hi Francesca – I believe I got them at Habitat. You should be able to find similar ones easily though, especially with verrines being so popular for a while :)

    Posted by keiko | 9 June 2009 #

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