Stem ginger and allspice ice cream

300ml double cream
300ml milk
4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
1tsp cornflour
Half a 350g jar of stem ginger, with half the syrup
2tsp ground allspice
1 inch grated root ginger

1. Chop the stem ginger pieces into small dice.
2. Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan until hot but not boiling (small bubbles should be forming at the edge of the pan).
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar, cornflour, grated ginger and allspice in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Briefly whisk in the ginger syrup.
4. Carefully pour the milk and cream mixture over the eggs, whisking all the while, until they are incorporated. Pour this mixture back into the pan, set the pan back on a medium heat and cook for a few minutes, gently stirring, until the mixture has thickened slightly. Add the chopped ginger and mix to combine.
5. Pour the gingery custard mixture back into the mixing bowl, cover and leave to cool. Resist the urge to eat it at this point and chill in the fridge overnight.
6. Churn in your ice cream maker for around 25 minutes, or as directed by the machine's instructions.

This goes really well with... Rhubarb crumble

800g rhubarb
Zest and juice of a satsuma
150g caster sugar
100g plain flour
100g butter, cold from the bridge, cut into cubes
Pinch of sea salt
50g oats
50g demerera sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 fan-assisted).
2. Trim the rhubarb and slice into 2 inch pieces. 
3. In a saucepan, heat the rhubarb, caster sugar and zest and juice of the satsuma. Cook for five minutes or so, until the rhubarb has softened a little but still holds its shape.  
4. Meanwhile, make the crumble. Whiz the flour, butter and salt together in a food processor (or faff about doing it with your fingers), then stir in the sugar and oats.
5. Tip the rhubarb into a suitable dish with a pattern on the bottom, then tip the crumble mix on top and bake in the over for half an hour.
6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least twenty minutes before eating (otherwise you'll burn yourself).  

Serves six.