Banana Walnut Ice Cream

 

Banana Walnut Ice Cream

• 2 cups cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 whole vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine cream, milk, vanilla bean, extract and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil, then remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the sugar and water until melted, then stir in the butter. Add the bananas and cook about 2 minutes until softened. Stir in the rum and cook another 2 minutes until thickened a bit. Strain out the bananas into one bowl and the syrup into another. Set aside.

Remove the vanilla pod from the steeped mixture and discard. Stir lemon juice into the bananas, and then mix the bananas into the cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate two hours or overnight.

Pour the banana mixture into the frozen freezer bowl of the Cuisinart mixer and mix for about 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved syrup, then the nuts and chocolate chips. Mix for another five minutes. Serve immediately for a soft texture or freeze longer for a firmer consistency.

This recipe called for a vanilla bean pod, and I remembered I had one tucked away in the pantry, so I pulled it out. Following these instructions, I tried splitting it down the middle. It wasn't very soft, so basically cracked in a couple of places. I stuck all the pieces in the cream to steep, but wondered if maybe the vanilla bean wasn't supposed to be hard and brittle. It wasn't! (I'm still using it anyway; the package was nice and fragrant when I opened it, and I'm straining the mixture after it steeps.) However, next time, I'll follow these instructions and either pour a bit of boiling water on the vanilla and let it sit for 20 minutes or microwave the pod wrapped in a damp paper towel.