Banana based ice cream...

[manda]

Last week I made ice cream using the frozen banana method....I’d read about it on the www whilst I was looking for something that could fill that need for sweet whilst being syn free if that was possible. Up kept popping the banana base ice cream so I thought I had nothing to lose…..so….

Put some bananas in the freezer (1 per person – depending on how much you want…2 produced a lot and I like ice cream!)
Take them out when frozen and peel
Chop them up and put them in the food processor – at this time put in any additional fruit / flavour you would like
Blitz till smooth and ice cream looking ~ now this can take a wee while and stop starting …you need to keep scraping the mix around as it does block the blades a fair bit but it took in the end about 10 minutes give or take.


Well I have to say….I used Blackberries in this one...which I have to say I wouldn't recommend for a couple of reasons….1) It didn’t mask the flavour of the banana and 2)the pips!….they didn’t make for a nice eating experience. If I used them again it would be without the pips …a blackberry couli would be called for (but oh the faffing about for that!).

Anyhoo as it was OK but as I have already said the banana flavour still came through – fine if you really like bananas ….me I’m not so keen Smile with tongue out…don’t get me wrong I don’t mind them but I was going for a different flavour, the blackberries didn’t quite get there. Needs to be a stronger tasting fruit.


Am thinking I might try it again but with mango or something like that – it needs a fruit that will take over the banana.
The texture was pretty good though and if I can just get rid if the banana taste it would be “syn free” ice cream that I can have on my healthy eating.

Has anyone else made this and if they did what fruit did they use and did it drown out the banana flavour?....I'd love to know.

[Mad Chick]

Oooh, I've never heard of this but it sounds fab

I haven't got a food processor - do you think it would work in a high powered liquidiser?

What about adding lemon or lime juice? they're quite strong flavours...

[manda]

I don't know about a liquidiser MC....you'd have to give it a go..maybe if you do one banana at a time it would be OK ...I've got a little kenwood food processor and 2 was a challenge but it got there....maybe adding a bit of yogurt or something to get it moving would do it as long as everything was cold...
Al's wife was saying she uses yogurt and then pops it in the freezer so it might be a go.

I have some limes I might just have to give em a go

[albertajune]

Manda, I have found a similar recipe that is part of a detox diet. I'm not doing the diet but like the sound of some of the puds.

No Sugar Ice Cream
Serves 4

4 very ripe bananas
200g strawberries
80g pistachios
500g of Greek yoghurt

Freeze bananas chunks in cling film overnight and when ready to make ice cream, place them in a food processor and whizz, stopping now and again to scrape the mix from the sides Place 1/2 the strawberries and pistachios in the blender and whiz together. Put the mix into large bowl and stir in the yoghurt. Fold in the rest of the strawberries and pistachios after chopping them. Freeze until solid.

All natural, the protein in the yoghurt and the healthy fats in the nuts, slows down the metabolism of the sugars in the fruit.

[manda]

Mmm that sounds nice...I'm thinking the strawberries should be quite a strong taste too so you'll get that flavour rather than just banana....
I'll have to give that a try.

[albertajune]

I made the recipe that I found yesterday but without the nuts which I didn't have. The flavour was delicious but it set far too solid to be called ice cream. I made it in the afternoon for the evening and as I don't have an ice cream machine, it went into the freezer. Possibly for too long, but the recipe didn't say that it needed to be eaten soon after, which it did, while still creamy.
If put into ice lolly moulds would make really good, healthy treats, especially for children as well as adults. I would make again. Lovely for those hot days that are in our memory.

[manda]

I like the idea of the lolly moulds ....will have to try those out with little un.

Josh made lollies the other day by soda streaming a bottle of water to get it fizzy and mixing in Lemon, lime and bitters...they were delicious !!! ...I'm glad my 8 year old likes trying different things because I probably wouldn't have thought of it