Love and Olive Oil

Banana Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I’m diving into this whole real-milk ice cream thing head first. This is the third batch of ice cream I’ve made in two weeks, and I’ve already got a few more recipes lined up and waiting for the first available freezer space to fill. I think you could officially call me ice cream crazy. As in, we’re still on mandatory water restrictions and I gave up a SHOWER for this stuff. The dishes had to get done somehow and I’d much rather be stinky with freshly churned ice cream than sparkly clean without.

Back in the days of ole, ice-cream-loving-Lindsay ate a lot of ice cream (this was back before cupcake-loving-Lindsay took over). She ate just about any flavor, but she definitely had her favorites. One of those favorites just happened to be Breyers’ Banana Fudge Chunk. And now that real ice cream was slowly becoming a part of her life once again, it was time to put the ice cream maker to good use; it’s been sitting empty in the freezer for far too long. First on the docket was to recreate that delicious banana ice cream, complete with roughly chopped chunks of rich dark chocolate.

Don’t think it’s a coincidence that 2 of my last 3 posts have involved chocolate and banana in some form. I said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s a perfect combination. Only way it could be better was if you topped those Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with a scoop of this ice cream. Hmm… now that’s an idea…

On another note, for those of you in and around Nashville, be sure to check out Eat Out for Nashville. Over 40 area restaurants have signed on to participate so far; each agreeing to donate 50% of proceeds from sales on Monday, May 17th to flood relief. We’ll be eating out for the cause (not like you have to twist our arm or anything!) though as far as which of the 40 restaurants we’ll be attending? Haven’t decided yet. Too many delicious options!

Banana Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart. Adapted from Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Did you make this recipe?

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
4 oz. good quality semi sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

Directions:

Warm the milk, sugar, 1/2 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Purée banana in a blender or food processor (using some of the warm liquid if needed), then whisk into milk mixture. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk. Mixture should be warm and steaming but not boiling. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly spoon 1/3 of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan and whisk to incorporate with the rest of the milk mixture.

Stir over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 10 minutes. Pour the custard through the strainer, pressing out and solids, and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 3-4 hours, overnight is better). Freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it is the consistency of soft serve. Quickly stir in chocolate chunks before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze until firm.

All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

Did you make this recipe?

Let us know what you think!
Leave a Comment below or share a photo and tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #loveandoliveoil.

There may be affiliate links in this post. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

26 Comments

  1. This ice cream is superb! I tried this yesterday and my family loves it so much! It didn’t even last 15 mins. I’m going to make this again on the weekend. Thank you for sharing this!

  2. This recipe was fantastic. I made it a couple of days ago and it was so yummy. Which is saying alot since we live in Nepal right now and with the poor milk products it is very hard to make a tasty ice cream, but this did it. yeah

  3. Oh my goodness-that picture looks fantastic! Have you ever tried making ice cream without milk? Just throw the frozen banana in a blender or food processor, and it turns out in a consistency like custard. I love putting peanut butter with my banana ice cream!

  4. Oh, I loved that Breyer’s flavor but, alas, it is no longer! (Unless I am mistaken) I have searched the grocery stores, but the last time I remember finding it was circa 2003, perhaps? This recipe saves the day!!!

  5. My honey loves banana and chocolate together. Can’t wait to make this for him!

  6. You can make ice cream with just bananas—no dairy or anything.

  7. So funny I should stumble on you today since I just cleaned out my freezer to find a whopping 24 frozen bananas AND I plan to make ice cream today (I only now put 2 and 2 together though!). :)

    Here are my ice cream attempts: http://www.bird-on-a-line.com/search/label/Ice%20Cream

  8. Fantastic! I think we’re a similar breed of people. I haven’t given up a shower for the love of ice cream, but I did buy an ice cream maker way before other I bought other necessary appliances for the house (vacuum, clothes dryer, iron, etc….). Priorities, right? I’d seen this recipe in Perfect Scoop too and was wondering how it was. Your photo of it makes it all the more tempting…

  9. Hi, Lindsay and Taylor!
    I love your blog, and I love that you’re giving up showers for dishes in this water restriction, because we’re doing the very same! I’m doing my best to help out this great city, but not cooking?! Too horrible to think about.
    I’ve got a new blog that I’m trying to get off the ground, and sure would appreciate some support! Check it out!
    http://www.foodie4thefuture.wordpress.com

    – Lea

  10. This looks delicious!! :)

  11. I am so craving ice cream right now. I need to find that dang ice cream maker in the garage.

  12. I love the look of your blog. I’ve just started making home made ice cream with a White Mountain hand crank machine and the kids think it’s awesome.

    If you don’t make your own ice cream you should give it a try. Here’s an interesting article I found that might be helpful to folks thinking about making their own.
    http://worldvillage.com/the-white-mountain-ice-cream-freezer-then-and-now

  13. Question! I’m new to this, and I’m sensitive to whole milk or full-fat dairy. Would low-fat or skim work for this as well?

    • You could very well try. Your final ice cream may bit a bit less creamy, but I bet it’ll still taste just as good!

  14. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Choc and banana are a perfect combo, I totally agree!

  15. I just found your blog and man, that’s a good recipe to stumble upon right away. One of my tasks this Sunday is to plan our meals next week around what we have in the freezer so I can make room for the ice cream maker. :)

  16. Yummy Ice Cream! We all scream for Ice Scream. Ripe Banana’s and Chocolate what a great flavor combination.

  17. Sounds really delicious! I’ll bet that coconut milk would be a great substitute to make a dairy-free version. Yum!

  18. OOOH! That looks sooo delicious! Yum.

    XOXO from Sweden ;)

  19. Oh goodness, this sounds PERFECT!!! I totally need to get that Kitchenaid attachment ASAP. It seems like everyone has been talking about David Lebovitz’s book lately and it’s making me really, really want to make my own ice cream too!

  20. You are SO making me wish that I had freezer space so that I could make this! That’s it. I’m coercing my roommate to go eat some of the frozen chicken she has in there. This can’t wait.

  21. You might have mentioned this before, but what kind of ice cream maker do you use?

  22. i.love.icecream

    This looks awesome!

    • I know you do. :) In fact, that chocolate velvet ice cream you posted a while back is on my “to-make” list. Looks divine!

  23. mmmm…that looks gooood. I really need to get myself an ice cream maker!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a Review »