Buttermilk Rhubarb Pastis Swirl Sherbet

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Yeah! Summer finally!

No heat wave in Alberta and I can still hear Lynne’s rant “I want my 30°C weather!!!” I miss Montreal and its steaming hot days without air conditioning in our apartment, nothing to beat the heat but two monster fans and anything cold!

In my top 3 ways to keep cool, I have (1) a dip in the blue, (2) a refreshing girly cocktail and (3) ice cream. Option 1 is definitely not feasible in Alberta - unless you pretend that Sylvan Lake is on the ocean – while options 2 and 3 are easier to achieve. A glass of sweet Tomate, minty Perroquet, or Hemingway’s Death in The Afternoon pastis cocktail maybe? I have here an even cooler way to enjoy pastis and rhubarb this summer.

With your ice cream mixture and a little planning, all you need is an ice cream machine! Mine is a very simple one: it comes as an electric mixer with 2-quarts containers that you pre-freeze for at least 24 hours and gets your sorbet or the ice cream mixture churned within 20 mins.

How many calories per scoop? Instead of using a custard cream, I opted for a healthier buttermilk sherbet, adapted from the Perfect Scoop, into which I stirred a pastis rhubarb compote. Because the recipe requires heating, I prepared the syrup and the compote the night before. Chilling overnight cools the mixture thoroughly, making the churning step a breeze. The tangy buttermilk and the anis-flavoured rhubarb make the perfect and most refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Ingredients for about 1½ liter sherbet:

For the buttermilk sherbet:

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

1 lemon zest and juice

2 cups buttermilk

For the pastis-rhubarb compote:

12 ounces rhubarb

2/3 cup water

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon pastis

1. In a medium saucepan, heat water, sugar, lemon zest and juice to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Remove for heat and let cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator overnight.

3. In another saucepan bring to a boil rhubarb, sugar, and water and let simmer until the rhubarb is softened.

4. Remove from heat and purée until smooth. (Note: Using an immersion blender is the easiest method, but you can use a regular blender or a food processor)

5. Add the pastis to the rhubarb purée and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

6. Stir the buttermilk into the chilled syrup and freeze in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

7. Transfer into a plastic container.

8. Gently fold the compote into the freshly churned sherbet for a marbled effect.

9. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until set.