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This banana ice cream recipe uses real bananas for amazing flavor and has a rich and creamy texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
When you travel and try new restaurants and food, do you ever come home and try to recreate it? I love doing this and it never fails after each trip I take, I find at least one thing I want to come home and try making. After my trip to NYC over Memorial weekend I came home and worked today’s recipe for Banana Ice Cream to recreate some amazing ice cream I ate in NYC.
Be sure to check out all my Best Ice Cream Spots in NYC. I ate a lot of ice cream while I was there and my favorite was the banana ice cream.
Ingredients Needed
- Half and Half. If you don’t have half and half where you live, use half whole milk and half heavy whipping cream as a substitute.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Eggs
- Heavy whipping cream
- Evaporated milk
- Vanilla extract
- Bananas. You want ripe bananas.
How to Make Banana Ice Cream
- In a saucepan heat half and half to 175 degrees F. Add in sugar and salt and stir until dissolved.
- Spoon a small amount of hot milk mixture into eggs and beat. This will pasteurize the eggs making them safe to eat.
- Put egg mixture back into pan with rest of milk and whisk together
- Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Should coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and place pan into a large bowl filled with ice water. Stir to cool.
- Add in whipping cream, milk and vanilla.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
- Mash bananas or use a food processor or a blender for a smoother texture.
- Add in mashed bananas and place in ice cream maker. Churn according to directions. Freeze until ready to serve.
Tips from Leigh Anne
This recipe uses eggs so it requires a cooked custard base. After cooking the custard cool it down quicker by putting the pan in an ice bath and then moving it into the refrigerator to continue to chill. You are going to be in a hurry to get this ice cream made because it’s so yummy so this tip will come in handy! Trust me!
Flavor Variations
- Drizzle some chocolate or caramel sauce over the top.
- Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream: Fold in about 3 Tablespoons of peanut butter into the ice cream at the end of the churning process. Or add in chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!
- Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: Add in some chocolate chips. Use milk chocolate or semi sweet.
- Nutty Banana Ice Cream. Add in 1/2 cup walnuts or chopped pecans near the end of the processing time.
- Chunky Monkey BananaIce Cream. Add in both 3 Tbsp peanut butter and 1/2 chocolate chips or chunks.
- Top with a sliced strawberry or a fresh berry of choice.
Can I use Frozen Bananas?
You can use frozen bananas, just thaw and mash before adding them to the ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will homemade ice cream last in the freezer?
Stored in an airtight, insulated ice cream container it will last for a couple of weeks.
Do I have to use an ice cream maker?
This homemade ice cream recipe is designed to be made in an ice cream maker and is not meant to be a no churn ice cream.
What kind of ice cream maker do you use?
I use a Cuisinart 2 qt. ice cream maker. I then transfer the ice cream into this insulated ice cream container to let the ice cream harden up.
Try these other yummy banana recipes:
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Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5 oz evaporated milk 1 can
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed banana 2-3 bananas
Instructions
- In a saucepan heat half and half to 175 degrees F. Add in sugar and salt and stir until dissolved.
- Spoon a small amount of hot milk mixture into eggs and beat.
- Put egg mixture back into pan with rest of milk and whisk together
- Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Should coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and place pan into a large bowl filled with ice water. Stir to cool.
- Add in whipping cream, milk and vanilla.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
- Add in mashed bananas and place in ice cream maker. Churn according to directions. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips & Notes:
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Nutrition Facts:
Kathleen says
This recipe is amazing!! I made it for my family last week and it was a hit. I used vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract just to mix it up a bit. Thank you!!
Sally Gaspard says
Your recipe looks wonderful! And I’m especially pleased about the cooked custard.
I have a 4 quart ice cream maker. Should I triple the recipe, or what are your suggestions?
Thanks so much!
Leigh Anne says
I would double it – tripling it may be too much.
Enjoy!
Shiboune says
Where is the actual recipe? I’m not seeing it and neither are any of my friends that I sent this page to.
Leigh Anne says
It’s fixed now – thanks for letting me know!
Sandy Stephens says
Thanks for the recipe Leigh Anne! I have the SAME Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and use the Tovolo containers also! They are just the greatest thing for homemade ice cream!! Do you have any more recipes for ice cream using the Cuisinart? Would LOVE to have them!! Can’t wait to make this as I have as I have a ice cream mix in the fridge right now waiting to chill!! YUM YUM!! thanks again!
Leigh Anne says
Sandy, I have tons of ice cream recipes on the blog, just go up to the recipe index or search ice cream in the search box. Almost all of them use the Cuisinart ice Cream Maker. Enjoy!!