Crazy Banana Ice Cream · GF (1 quart)Tweet

Why is this ice cream crazy? Because it’s steeped with bananas and vanilla bean for 24 hours, which draws out an unbelievably intense banana flavor. This is further amplified by a shot of banana liquor, keeping the final product creamy and extra bananarrific.

Keep an eye out for banana liquors that are all natural, or at least steer clear of ones that say, “with natural and artificial flavor.” They have a creepy banana flavor like bad 80s candy. Stay away!

10 oz cream
10 oz whole milk
4 super ripe bananas, sliced into 1” chunks (about 12 ounces of flesh)
1 Madagascar vanilla bean, split and scraped; seeds reserved
6 ounces egg yolks (from between 7-10 eggs, depending on size)
6 ounces sugar
1/4 tsp salt or more, to taste
3/4 ounce banana liquor

In a medium pot, bring the dairy to a simmer together with the vanilla bean and sliced bananas. Stir occasionally to break up the banana slices, which tend to stick together. When the mixture begins to simmer, shut off the heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 24 hours or as long as a few days. (The flavor doesn’t get any better after the initial 24 hours, but sometimes a batch of overripe bananas needs to get used up now even though you don’t have the time to make ice cream just yet. Just letting you know you can take your time.)

When you’re ready to proceed with the recipe, return the dairy mixture to a simmer. Meanwhile whisk together the yolks, sugar, salt, and banana liquor together in a medium bowl.

Have another medium bowl ready, with a mesh strainer set over it.

Once the dairy begins to simmer, strain the whole thing through the sieve (doing this while the mixture is warm is much easier than cold, so don’t do this out of order). Press firmly on the bananas with a rubber spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Do not press so hard that you begin to force banana pulp through the sieve; this is the cause of icy banana ice cream.

Next, fish out the vanilla bean and use a spatula to scrape out all of the heavily flavored cream from inside the pod and into the strained liquid. That stuff is liquid gold, make sure not to lose a drop. Discard the banana pulp. (If you’re super thrifty, you could use it for banana muffins or something.)

Return the banana-y dairy back to the pot (no need to was the strainer or bowl, you’ll need them again in a minute).

Whisk some of the hot dairy mixture into the egg yolks, one ladle-full at a time, until the egg mixture is quite warm. Then whisk the egg mixture into the pot of cream and turn the heat to medium or medium low, depending on your comfort level. Stir constantly, making sure to scrape all along the bottom of the pot while to avoid allowing any of the mixture to curdle.

Continue cooking and stirring until the ice cream base thickens markedly (“coating the back of a wooden spoon” being the popular description of done-ness).

Immediately shut off the heat and strain the custard through the sieve back into the bowl.

Cool in an ice bath and refrigerate overnight. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

This is especially delicious (and even “crazier”) with homemade peanut butter cups stirred in at the end.

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Any questions?