Bananas Foster Ice Cream

I'm trying to be healthy. Well........sure. Healthy. Er. Ish. Adjacent. 

At the rate I consume  make ice cream, I should switch it up now and then for a less cream laden variety. Enter: the banana. 

Yes, I've heard and laughed at this idea of the yo-nanas frozen banana soft serve. Sorry, but as a die hard ice cream addict, I just can't get behind it. That said, I had a brief moment of health consciousness and decided to try it out the only way I enjoy eating bananas....covered in sugar. 

Did I say health conscious? Well.......um........it contains no cream. So that's something. 

All said and done, I actually rather enjoy it. I'm surprised by the consistency. The addition of 1 tablespoon of rum keeps the banana puree from freezing to a rock solid state, allowing it to remain scoopable after freezing and truly does add to the creamy consistency. In all, it really is rather like ice cream, and a rather delightful one at that. 

As for healthy..........well...........er? ish? adjacent?

Bananas Foster Ice Cream 
serves 2

2 bananas
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. Vietnamese cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tablespoon rum

Mix all ingredients except bananas in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until all the brown sugar is dissolved.

Peal and chop the bananas.

Put pealed bananas and warm sauce into a food processor. Pulse until completely smooth.

Pour into the bowl of your ice cream make. Follow manufacturers instructions.

Place into suitable freezing container and freeze for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Plum Ice Cream

Making ice cream in the summer is a favorite of mine. Absolute favorite. Using fresh fruit? Even better!

For this plum and vanilla ice cream I used a beautifully juicy fresh pureed black plum. Yes, that can affect the consistency, and you might get an ice crystal here or there. I don't notice it enough to mind, but if you think you would mind you can add a teaspoon of gelatin and the problem is solved. I was too busy reveling in plum and vanilla and creamy dreamy goodness.

Every time I post an ice cream recipe, someone comments about the use of raw eggs. Yes, it could increase your chance of a food borne illness. If you don't want to take that risk then make a custard. It doesn't bother me and this method is so much creamier. I am taking my life in my hands via ice cream! Oh what a daredevil am I! ...Not really. I did the math and if I ate one raw egg a day since birth, once in 82 years I would come across an egg with a food born illness. But it could happen, and I know that I take that risk. Personally, I am more afraid of spinach and ground beef. If you'd like to read other people's opinions try this forum, meanwhile, I will continue to make and post ice cream with raw eggs.

Vanilla Plum Ice Cream 

1 black plum

1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk

1 cup cream

1 tsp. vanilla

In a food processor add the plum and then pulse until smooth.

In a stand mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat for one minute until light and fluffy. Gently mix in the cream, milk, vanilla and plum puree.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla sugar can be used in most any recipe you use white granulated sugar in to add a hint of vanilla.

Years ago I "discovered" vanilla sugar at my local spice store. As I am neither Lewis or Clark, discovered is a relative term, I can't claim to have even discovered the spice store I was in. I consider it one of the downsides of the modern era that there is very little left to discover that does not involve copious amounts of math and sciences. If we could rewind a few hundred years to when discovery required hiking and a journal I'd.....still not be allowed because women had no rights, but I would have at least had the right skill set. 

Vanilla sugar was the first flavored sugar that I ever tried or cooked with, and it remains a favorite. I keep a small bottle at work for my pomegranate tea, and a large bottle at home for baking. Like with most things, buying the sugar from a spice shop soon seemed unreasonable. Why pay for someone to do what I can do myself?

The first attempt was bland. I just pulled an Alton Brown recipe of the web. The "add one vanilla bean to two cups of sugar" recipe was ridiculous. Simple is only okay when it has acceptable results. This was not. Started hunting around, found another that was one bean to one cup.....better....but lacking still. So, what do you do when even Epicurious fails you? Strike out on your own to "discover" something better. 

The idea is simple: 1:2 was pathetic, 1:1 was meh, so 3:1?! Finally! I hope you enjoy this vanilla sugar! It can be used in most any recipe you use white granulated sugar in to add a hint of vanilla. Enjoy! 

Can be used for:

• Apple Upside-Down Cake

Vanilla Sugar

3 high quality vanilla beans

1 cup white sugar

Split the vanilla beans and cut into one inch pieces. Combine in a food processor with one cup of sugar. Pulse until the vanilla beans are thoroughly mixed in. 

Pour the mixture into an air tight jar. Allow to sit for two weeks. 

Strain the sugar through a fine sieve to remove large fibrous pieces of vanilla bean. Return the vanilla sugar to the air tight jar. It is now ready to use for baking or teas.