Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Place the saucepan over medium heat and warm the mixture until it’s steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.1.5 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are pale yellow. Slowly and gradually, ladle about ½ cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This process, called tempering, gently warms the yolks to prevent them from scrambling. Once tempered, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture, whisking continuously.3 large egg yolks
- Return the saucepan to medium-low heat. Stir the custard constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, ensuring it doesn't stick to the bottom. Cook until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (around 170-175°F or 77-79°C). This typically takes about 5-10 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Immediately remove the custard from the heat and pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This removes any potential cooked egg bits, ensuring a super smooth texture. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
- While the ice cream base chills, prepare the Bananas Foster topping. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced bananas and brown sugar, stirring gently to coat the bananas. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the bananas are slightly softened and the sugar has begun to caramelize.2 ripe bananas, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- If using rum, carefully pour it into the skillet. Be cautious as rum can be flammable. If using a gas stove, remove the skillet from the heat before adding the rum, then return it to the heat. Let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes, allowing some of the alcohol to evaporate and the sauce to thicken slightly. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can gently mash some of the bananas with your spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely.0.25 cup dark rum
- If you have an ice cream maker: Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- If you do not have an ice cream maker (No-Churn Method): Pour the chilled custard into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for about 45-60 minutes, until the edges start to firm up. Remove from the freezer and beat vigorously with an electric mixer or a whisk to break up ice crystals. Return to the freezer. Repeat this process every 30-45 minutes for 2-3 hours, until the ice cream is firm but scoopable.
- Once the ice cream base is churned or no-churned to your desired consistency, gently fold in about two-thirds of the cooled Bananas Foster topping, creating swirls. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight freezer-safe container. Top with the remaining Bananas Foster sauce. Cover and freeze for at least 2-4 hours, or until firm, to allow the flavors to meld and the ice cream to set.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes if too hard to scoop.
