Banoffee Ice Cream
With fresh banana ice cream, a graham cracker swirl, and homemade salted caramel, this banoffee ice cream is summer dessert at its best.
A dear friend tipped me off to banoffee desserts, and ever since, I have been hooked. With summer, and the sweltering heat, I thought turning this beloved flavoring—banana and toffee aka banoffee—into an ice cream, was the perfect idea. I went to work immediately.
With that said, what makes this ice cream special? A few things, including fresh banana flavor found from using ripe bananas, a delicious custard that is made using milk, cream and egg yolks, the graham cracker crumble, and of course, the easy homemade salted caramel sauce. As you can imagine, these flavors are a match made in heaven.
For those just getting started in crafting ice cream, it can be a learning curve. A lot of helpful information can be found here, within my Brownie Batter Ice Cream post. The information provided includes: the best ice cream machines for purchase, the importance of thoroughly freezing the ice cream bowl, and details on making a custard base for ice cream. If any item on that list sounds foreign, especially the part about freezing the ice cream bowl, head over to that blog post, and read it thoroughly. Knowledge is power when it comes to homemade ice cream.
Making Banoffee Ice Cream
Most everything needed to make this ice cream is a pantry staple, including bananas, milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
A couple of items may require a trip to the grocery store. These items are heavy cream and graham cracker, so plan accordingly.
As far as equipment, the following is needed: a quality saucepan, a high-speed blender, a fine mesh sieve, an ice cream maker, and a freezer friendly container to hold the ice cream. I find plastic tupperware works well, or even leftover Thai curry containers that have been properly cleaned and dried.
Importance of Ripe Bananas
This recipe is only as successful as the bananas are ripe. I’m talking black bananas, or at least thoroughly covered in nice ripe spots. When bananas are used before peak ripeness, they are very starchy, and make for lackluster flavor, and texture. The riper the banana, the more sugars that have formed, the better the flavor.
If the bananas aren’t ready, don’t try the recipe, and hope for the best. Instead, bananas can be ripened in the oven. Place as many bananas as needed on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees, for 30-40 minutes. Bake the bananas until they are black and softened. For a more detailed explanation of this process, I’ve included a helpful link here, with pictures, and a wider scope of information on ripening bananas in the oven.
A Note On The Caramel
This is a quick caramel, not requiring a thermometer, and further, not requiring separate steps when adding the cream and butter. Because this caramel is being used in an ice cream, it doesn’t need to be fancy, like that which is made for a drizzle, or a special dessert filling. I went with something quick and easy, but with the goal of still tasting superior to store-bought. With that said, to make this recipe even easier, a store-bought caramel can be used, or any other preferred homemade caramel. Just be sure the caramel is completely cool before swirling it into the ice cream.
Final Tip
This tip is very important. Once the ice cream has churned, and thickened to the consistency of soft serve, you MUST work swiftly in getting the ice cream from the mixer, to the freezer. Normally, this process isn’t particularly difficult, but with this recipe, there needs to be care taken, since the caramel has to be swirled into the ice cream, before ultimately chilling it in the freezer. Why is this so important? If the ice cream melts too much in transfer, aka sweet time is taken swirling the caramel, it will begin to melt and liquefy, and it won’t have the right consistency. As a result, crystals can form, which is the number one culprit for unsuccessful homemade ice cream.
Make sure to have an ice cream container set aside and ready to go. Further, make sure to have a designated place in the freezer (preferably in the back where it’s cooler) cleared, so the ice cream can be transferred speedily. Lastly, be sure the caramel is completely cool before adding it to the ice cream. Following these tips, and being prepared, will make the process smooth and enjoyable.
Banoffee Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- pinch of salt
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 large, very ripe bananas
- 4 graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel ripe bananas and place them in chunks, inside a blender. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the egg yolks and sugars. Set aside.
- Using a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk and pinch of salt until hot and steamy, but NOT boiling. Stirring regularly with a spatula.
- When the milk is hot and steaming, using a ladle, slowly transfer, and whisk, a ladle full of the hot mixture into the egg and sugars, tempering the egg. Do this again with one more ladle of hot liquid.
- Once tempered, slowly add the egg liquid back into the hot saucepan, stirring constantly. Stir the mixture until it becomes a custard. Meaning, the liquid has thickened enough to coat a spatula. During this time the sauce pan should always stay under a boil. Be patient, as this process can take 10 minutes, or longer, but watch carefully, in case it thickens faster than usual.
- Once thickened, and generously coating a spatula, pour the custard over the bananas in the blender. Pulse the mixture until just smooth. Don't over blend.
- Once blended, pour the banana custard through a fine mesh sieve, into a large bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Let the custard cool for a few minutes, before transferring the liquid into a large zip lock bag. Refrigerate for three to five hours.
- Once the custard has properly chilled, and an hour before churning the ice cream, make the caramel.
- Using a small saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar and cream, and heat over medium low. Stir constantly, until it reaches a boil. Allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer caramel into a bowl and set aside.
- While the caramel is cooling, make the graham cracker crumble. Using a food processor, pulse the graham cracker until its chunky. The goal is to have some fine crumbs along with some larger pieces to give varying texture to the ice cream.
- Mix the graham cracker with the melted butter. Set aside.
- Once the custard has properly chilled and the caramel is cool, set up the ice cream mixer, and churn the ice cream according to the manufactures instructions. Don't be alarmed if the custard has thickened substantially before adding it to the mixer. Make sure a designated ice cream container, with a fitted lid, is set aside, and a spot in the freezer is cleared for the ice cream.
- Once the ice cream has thickened, about the consistency of thick soft serve, put all but two tablespoons of the graham cracker crumble into the mixer, and allow it to distribute into the ice cream. Keep the two tablespoons aside, to sprinkle on top of the ice cream before putting in the freezer.
- Once the graham cracker is incorporated, turn off the ice cream machine. Place one third of the ice cream into the designated container. Drizzle half the caramel over the ice cream. Top with the next third of the ice cream, and add the remaining caramel. Finish with the final third of the ice cream, and sprinkle the reserved graham cracker crumble on top.
- Place the ice cream in the freezer for several hours to finish freezing.
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