Ice Cream Social: JoAnna Banana Ice Cream with Peanutty Caramel

I’m not sure if you’ve heard yet, but it’s hot outside.  Somehow I don’t think a hot steaming bowl of my Texas chili is appropriate when daisy dukes are making their comeback, much to my chagrin.  This weather calls for something cool, refreshing and sweet.  Hello, Ice Cream!

My JoAnna Banana ice cream came about because I’m just in love with this classic combo of banana and peanut butter.  It wasn’t until I finished my research on ice cream bases and actually made the recipe that I realized I needed to find a good froyo substitute.  Heavy cream plus eight egg yolks does not make for a happy waistline.  As for the name of the ice cream, I like things that rhyme and my first name is actually JoAnna, fun fact for the day.

I modified this basic ice cream custard recipe from the Kitchn and this freezing method from the Brown Eyed Baker to make the ice cream without a machine.  

The Custard
1 cup whole milk
2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
a pinch of salt
some vanilla


4 bananas

¼ to ½ cups of brown sugar

1 recipe caramel

1 T peanut butter

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Place sliced bananas onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Next, put the cookie sheet into the oven for about 20 minutes.  Once finished, set bananas aside and let cool.

As for the custard, follow through with the Kitchn’s recipe through to the first cooling stage.  This is the stage right before you combine the egg mixture with the cream.  Once the cream mixture is cool, strain it through a sieve.  Reserve at least 1 cup to 1 ½ cups of the scalded cream. 

Place the cooled bananas into a blender and process with the reserved cream.  Next, add the banana mixture to the egg and sugar mixture.  Once blended stream the milk into the eggs as directed in the Kitchn’s recipe.  Heat as directed and once mixture has cooled for about 5 minutes, strain some of the banana pulp out.  I left some in there because I wanted to make sure I had the full banana flavor I was looking for.  Refrigerate cream for about 20 minutes before following the Brown Eyed Baker’s directions for freezing.  I used method A to freeze my cream.

So here’s where it gets interesting.  In the past I’ve been successful with making caramel but being the anti-directions girl that I am I thought I could take some liberties with my own version.  Everything was going well. I added the sugar and the water.  It was coming to such a majestic amber color and then I added the cream at the right moment.  It looks beautiful.  Then I add some peanut butter. It’s thick and creamy.  Why did I add regular milk?  NOT A GOOD IDEA.  This is what happens.

Luckily I had some homemade caramel on hand and just took cup or so with some peanut butter and nuked it in the microwave. 




And I had a little more fun and added the sugary messed up peanut butter mixture and some bacon.  Bacon makes everything better.