Banana Split Ice Cream

So, a few weeks ago, my husband and I took our three (young) daughters on a loooooong car ride to Seattle to visit my brother and his family.  It was our first time in that neck of the woods and we had an absolute blast.  My brother, being the wonderful host that he is, wanted to show us all the favorite "hot spots" around town; Pike Place Market, Etta's (oh my gosh best seafood ever!!), Seattle Science Center, Top Pot Doughnuts and Bainbridge Island to name a few.

One of my favorite eats was Mora Iced Creamery the day we took the ferry to Bainbridge.  According to my brother they are touted to have the best ice cream...ever?  Or in the U.S., something like that.  I have to say that, although I can't vouch for it being the best ice cream in the U.S., it's definitely the best ice cream I've ever eaten.  It was absolutely fabulous!  And the selection of flavors...they have 10 different kinds of chocolate!!  It's an ice cream lovers paradise.

I decided on the banana split and knew immediately I wanted to try to recreate it at home.  I loved every bite.  It was a sweet banana ice cream, speckled with dark chocolate and swirled with a thick dulce de leche.

Although it would be hard to duplicate exactly what I had at Mora in my own kitchen, I think this version is pretty darn good.  I had no idea I liked banana ice cream so much.  This is definitely a treat you are not going to want to pass up this summer.


Banana Split Ice Cream 
for the ice cream base:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
3 medium/large bananas (the riper the better)
1/8 tsp. sea salt
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

for the chocolate stracciatella:
5 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

for the dulce de leche:
1 recipe Dulce de Leche 
 

Make dulce de leche ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use.

Whisk together egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, blend together bananas, salt and heavy cream until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and sugar over medium high heat until very warm, stirring frequently; do not boil.  Remove from heat.

Temper the eggs by VERY SLOWLY adding the milk mixture (about a tablespoon or two at a time) and whisking constantly.  Once you've added about half of the milk mixture, slowly whisk it all back into the saucepan.  Return saucepan to stove and heat over low heat.  With a rubber spatula, stir mixture, until it coats the back of a spoon. (If you heat it too fast, you will get scrambled eggs. BUT, you can still salvage it by running it through the blender.)

Slowly add the milk and egg mixture to the banana mixture in the blender.  Add vanilla and pulse or process until smooth.  Pour custard into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight or until completely cooled. 

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  When ice cream is getting close to being done, prepare chocolate.

Place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30 second increments at half power, stirring in between.  Once chocolate is thin and smooth, drizzle into ice cream at the last possible moment of churning.  Chocolate will harden immediately and shred into "chips."

Warm dulce de leche slightly, if necessary.  Layer ice cream and dulce de leche in a freezer-safe storage container, in as many layers as you wish.  I did only two layers of dulce but think it would be perfect with three.  Gently and briefly swirl with a knife, if desired.  Place in coldest part of your freezer and freeze until firm.