Banana Ice Cream with Burnt Caramel Sauce
Cookbook
Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream: 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Frozen Treats
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The intriguing combination of the bananas, rum and burnt caramel will transport you to a Caribbean island. Garnish with toasted almonds or pecans, fresh or chopped dried apricots, blueberries, shaved chocolate or strawberries.
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 4 hours
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Kid FriendlyYes
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together
Recipe Coursedessert
Equipmentfood processor, ice cream maker
Mealdinner
Moodadventurous, blue
Taste and Texturecreamy, fruity, sweet
Type of Dishice cream
Ingredients
- 3 cups half and half
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 3 overripe bananas, pureed
- 2 teaspoons rum or fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
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To make the ice cream:
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Place the half and half in a small pan and cook over low heat, whisking from time to time; until it is warm, about 175°F.
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Place the egg yolks, brown sugar and salt in a small metal bowl and whisk until completely mixed.
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Add ¼ cup of the warm half and half mixture to the eggs, whisking all the while. Continue adding half and half to the eggs, ¼ cup at a time, until you have added about 1½ cups. Slowly, whisking all the while, return the now half and half and egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the pan and continue cooking until it just begins to thicken or reaches about 185°F.
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Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour through a medium fine strainer into a metal bowl, discard the solids and set aside until it reaches room temperature.
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Add the bananas and rum and mix well.
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Cover and refrigerate until it reaches 40°F, about 3 hours. Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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To make the burnt caramel sauce:
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Place the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Continue boiling, without stirring, until it begins to color on the edges, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, whisking all the while, until it turns a deep brown and just begins to smell burnt, 3 to 4 minutes.
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Slowly and very carefully add the cream, continuing to whisk, until it is completely incorporated.
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Off heat, add the vanilla and salt.
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Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.
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