Gone Bananas
Ironically enough, my last thought was indeed bananas, and as I was going through my recipes, I realized that banana bread was the first gluten-free baked item that I successfully mastered. My first thought was to scrap the idea of presenting it because it is (gast! blasphamey!) made with a “mix” rather than “from scratch.” I sat on this notion for a spell and realized that this fact did not, in fact, take away from the shear deliciousness of the recipe and decided to go ahead and make myself appear a lowly “mix” user. After all, in retrospect, it took me several attempts before I made this banana discovery a reality and just for good measure, I’ve decided to go full on crazy by including the most mouth watering banana ice cream recipe, ever.
Most may not associate banana bread with dessert, but I beg to differ. This is definitely considered a sweet bread and although it may not be served at the end of a sumptuous meal, this version is so heavenly that you may begin to agree with me. Furthermore, many French dessert cookbooks include sweet breads as a part of their repertoire, so I figured, why shouldn’t I?
Sweet breads are an excellent way to start the day or for that little afternoon snack. If you want to dress it up a bit for a special occasion, like a weekend brunch or a tea party, I suggest icing it with this lovely cream cheese icing (see recipe below).
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 ½ Cups Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
3-4 Very Ripe Bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
2/3 Cup Buttermilk
2 Teaspoons Mexican Vanilla
2/3 Cup of Chopped Pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter one 9” x 5” rectangular bread pan and set aside. In a large mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until the butter both lightens a shade and takes on that fluffy, smooth texture. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Taking your flour mixture, gently tap it into the butter, sugar and eggs. Pour in the buttermilk, the mashed bananas and the vanilla and mix well. Finally, toss in the pecans and mix for a few rotations.
Pour the mixture into your buttered pan. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a bamboo skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes and then remove it from the pan and allow to continue cooling on a wire rack.
Serve with a little butter and honey. Excellent toasted, sinful with cream cheese icing. (See recipe below.)
Store in refrigerator in either wax paper or aluminum foil for up to 5 days.
8 oz. Cream Cheese
6 Tablespoons Butter
½ Teaspoons Mexican Vanilla
1 ½ Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Sift the confectioner’s sugar and add to the cream cheese mixture. Mix for 5 minutes more and then add the Mexican vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Makes about 2 cups icing.
Andy Warhol
Peel Banana, 1967
Album cover for The Velvet Underground
Little needs to be said about this recipe except to make it now! Whoever the genius was (it was not me, but I wish it were) who decided to roast the bananas first, I tip my hats off to them because it makes this recipe sing. By roasting the bananas, you are essentially caramelizing the sugars of the fruit, making the banana flavor much more intense and full bodied. This is an ice cream that disappears quickly, so you may want to make more than one batch…
4 Ripe Bananas, roasted
1 ½ Cups Cream
1 ½ Cups Half and Half
1 Cup Sugar
6 Egg Yolks
Pinch Salt
1 ½ Teaspoons Mexican Vanilla
4 Tablespoons Dark Rum
1 Cup Dark Raisins
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the four bananas in the middle of the sheet, evenly spaced. Pierce each banana 8 times with the tip of a very sharp knife and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before peeling the bananas. Puree until smooth and set aside.
In a separate, wide, shallow bowl pour the dark rum over the raisins and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. As they will not be stirred into the ice cream until just before the ice cream is placed into the freezer, you should have ample time at this point.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine half of the sugar with the cream and half and half, stirring often to insure the sugar does not burn. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale and full of promise. Temper the egg yolks by ladling the hot cream mixture into the yolks, whisking very quickly. Continue to ladle in the hot cream until it is reduced by half. Pour the tempered mixture back into the hot cream and again turn the heat on medium. Pour in the pureed bananas and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook until thick. Once you can coat the back of your spoon and draw a distinct line down the back of it with your finger, it is done. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool before stirring in the Mexican vanilla.
Allow to cool for 1 to 3 hours in the refrigerator before freezing in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is quite thick, drain the raisins and then pour them into the ice cream. Continue to freeze until done.
Can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Yields 1 quart.
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daveyboy
