Wait, wait, wait. Here me out for a minute. Because seriously, its been time tested and proven to work and taste very much like vanilla ice cream. It has a science to it that is rather amazing... much like science can be.
In order for your "ice cream" to not taste like bananas, your fruit has to been VERY over-ripe. Not just speckled- but black and darn near disgusting. Each time I buy bananas, I toss a few in the back of the fridge and let them "cure" for dessert. Once they are supery doopery gross and ready for banana bread- I make a batch of banana bread for breakfast and a batch of ice cream for dessert!
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**SCIENCE ALERT!**
As bananas ripen the starches turn into sugar, which means the riper the banana- the sweeter the taste! After the bananas reach a certain age and begin to decay (yup, that's what they are doing there in the fridge turning all black and stuff) the sugars begin to break down. The bacteria and friends love these sugars! They begin to eat them up, thus the break down. The whole banana DNA make-up is frozen in time during the freezing process and continues to alter the banana's flavor make-up. Upon rapid blending, the whole thing is basically ripped apart- which removes most of the flavor entirely. Which is why your "banana" ice cream tastes very little like banana... and in some cases, not at all! If you want more banana flavoring- use fresher bananas.
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Ready to trust me? Here we go!
First you need about 3-4 very spent bananas and your food processor. Earlier in the afternoon (assuming ice cream is for dessert as it is in our house) cut up the bananas into roughly 2" pieces and freeze. They need to be frozen solid for maximum awesomeness.
When you are ready to serve- pull out the frozen bananas and put them into your food processor. I've heard instances where people have had success using their stand mixer but I'm not sure I would try that... and I wouldn't recommend a hand mixer. Seems a bit crazy to me, as you'll soon understand.
Cover securely and chop. After a bit you'll have this:
Keep going! Don't give up- it does happen like a great and wonderful surprise... for a long while it looks like this-
Then suddenly, the magic happens!
You have ICE CREAM!
At this point you scoop and serve. You can refreeze it, but it does melt quickly so eating it NOW is really the best option. It melts into a goop, which is very unappetizing.
My family loves to drizzle chocolate and add peanuts-
--Special Variations--
Chocolate Ice Cream:
- Drizzle chocolate syrup into the bananas while they are mixing. More chocolate- the chocolatier it'll taste!
The Obvious Banana Split:
- Add pineapple chunks, strawberries and chocolate syrup to the ice cream after mixing. I would recommend a fresher banana so you can taste more of the flavor here.
Moose Tracks-a-like:
- Swirl hot fudge and chopped reeses peanut butter cups
A Timeless Hot Fudge Sundae:
- Pour on the hot fudge, sprinkle nuts and whip cream!
Vanilla Bean (for those who are true vanilla fans)
- Toss in some vanilla beans into the mix while blending... and a few drops of vanilla extract. You'll be in purist heaven!
Really... the possibilities are ENDLESS, ever so tasty and really much better for you that the real stuff. Beware- from personal testing- bananas are very filling. Banana ice cream can sneak up on you... there will be times that the pure awesomeness of the dessert is actually too much! Less is more. Don't worry- you can eat it again later!
Great Banana Facts- In case you weren't already sold!
Banana Nutrition Facts
- A banana contains Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber.
- Bananas do not contain sodium, fat or cholesterol.
- The Vitamin C, which is found in bananas, helps the body to defend and heal against infections. This vitamin also proves valuable in the synthesis of the connective tissue, absorption of iron and the formation of blood.
- Not only are bananas rich in vitamin C, they also contain potassium. Potassium is a mineral that helps in the building of muscles and protein synthesis. This is done as potassium stimulates nerve impulses for muscle contraction.
- A diet rich in potassium is said to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. As bananas are free from sodium and very rich in potassium, they can be included in the diet to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
- Bananas contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose along with fiber. A banana thus gives an instant and substantial boost of energy.
- A banana contains Vitamin B6, which helps in the synthesis of antibodies in the immune system apart from red blood formation, protein metabolism and functioning of the central nervous system.
- No other fruit contain more digestible carbohydrates than bananas. This is advantageous because, the body burns off calories from carbohydrate more easily and quickly than calories from fat or protein.
- The word banana is derived from the Arab word "banan," which means finger.
- Bananas are harvested green because they keep ripening even after they are picked.
- Unlike most other fruits that grow on trees, bananas grow on plants.
- An average American is said to consume more than 28 pounds of bananas every year.
- Brisbane holds the world record for the longest banana split, which measured 7.3 kilometers.
- 3 medium bananas would weigh about a pound.
- Despite that fact that bananas love a tropical climate, they are grown in Iceland too, by heating the soil with geysers.
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at wor k leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
I made this for my kids about a month ago. They still talk about it to their friends. We but a couple chocolate chips and fresh strawberries. It tasted like a banana split.
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