Banana-Rama

So what do you do when your husband purchases ten pounds of bananas for a race, then forgets to take them to the race? As it turns out, you have just a few days to figure it out before your entire house starts to smell like over-ripened banana. It took me a day or two to decide it was time for banana-rama at our house, starting with a homemade Salted Caramel Banana Ice Cream.

Salted caramel made its way on to my radar sometime last year, and I am smitten. I love the saltiness balancing the sweetness of the caramel, and love how it goes with just about anything. So I adapted a Ben and Jerry's Banana ice cream recipe, adding a ribbon of salted caramel through the ice cream (and of course with a drizzle over the top!). It turned out quite well! Next time I make this, I think I'll add toffee or chocolate to it for a little crunch as well. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Banana Ice Cream (adapted from Ben and Jerry's Banana)

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 bananas, mashed
juice of 1 lemon

1 bag Kraft caramels (or caramel sauce, if you want to cheat)
Coarse sea salt
1 tbsp heavy cream

Whisk eggs in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar until blended. Add cream and milk and blend. Put in ice cream freezer and follow manufacturer's directions. Add lemon juice to bananas and stir well. Add banana mixture to ice cream during last few minutes of freezing.

To make the salted caramel, put about half of the unwrapped caramels into a heat-proof bowl with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Microwave in 30-60 second increments, stirring frequently - watch out, it'll burn!

When caramels are melted, sprinkle coarse sea salt on top - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon depending on your tastes

Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then add to ice cream and stir just once or twice until a ribbon of caramel runs through the ice cream. Place in freezer and allow to freeze. 

To make sauce for the top of the ice cream, melt a few caramels with a dash of heavy cream, drizzle over the top of the ice cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt - enjoy immediately!