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Banana Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Rum Recipe

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4.2 from 12 reviews

This homemade banana ice cream recipe combines ripe bananas with a rich custard base to create a creamy, naturally sweet frozen dessert. Made with heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, and infused with vanilla and rum, it’s finished with bittersweet chocolate pieces for a delightful texture and flavor contrast. Perfect for an indulgent treat, this ice cream requires churning and a few hours of freezing to achieve the ideal consistency.

Ingredients

Custard Base

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 5 large egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
  • 1 cup whole milk (yes, it must be WHOLE milk!)
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Banana Mixture

  • 3 large very ripe bananas (or 4 medium; the more brown, the better)
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum (or vodka*)

Add-ins

  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (about ⅔ cup)

Instructions

  1. Create Ice Bath: Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water to create an ice bath. Set an empty medium bowl on top of the ice. Pour the heavy cream into this medium bowl and place a strainer on top. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well combined.
  2. Heat Milk Mixture: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the whole milk, sugar, and kosher salt. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves and small bubbles form along the edges. Avoid letting the mixture boil.
  3. Temper Egg Yolks: Gradually add some of the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly to gently raise their temperature. After combining some milk with the yolks, pour the mixture back into the saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling.
  4. Cook Custard: Continue cooking the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spatula.
  5. Combine Custard and Cream: Strain the hot custard into the bowl containing the heavy cream resting over the ice bath to cool down.
  6. Puree Bananas: Take half of the cooled custard and blend it with the ripe bananas in a blender or food processor until smooth.
  7. Mix Ingredients: Pour the banana puree back into the bowl with the remaining custard. Stir in the vanilla extract and dark rum. Cover the mixture, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  8. Churn Ice Cream: Freeze the custard mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate during the last 5 minutes of churning to evenly distribute.
  9. Freeze to Set: Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight to fully set.
  10. Serve: Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping.

Notes

  • Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best natural sweetness and flavor.
  • The tempering step is essential to avoid scrambled eggs in your custard.
  • Chilling the custard thoroughly before churning ensures better texture in the ice cream.
  • Dark rum adds depth of flavor but can be substituted with vodka or omitted if preferred.
  • If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the mixture in a container and stir every 30 minutes until firm to avoid large ice crystals.
  • Save the egg whites for another recipe like meringues or omelets to reduce waste.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/banana-ice-cream-with-dark-chocolate-and-rum-recipe/