Rich, creamy, and comforting, ice cream is pure frozen goodness. But this recipe isn’t like the iconic favorite. Without cream, custard, and sugar, it isn’t really in the same category at all, though it hits all the same notes.
Blended frozen banana is smooth, thick, and sweet. It has a fairly mild taste that pairs well with lots of mix-ins. I love adding a bit of peanut butter and raw cocoa powder for a energizing snack. It seems so indulgent that I have to remind myself it’s only bananas, peanuts, and cocoa. Containing antioxidants and minerals, raw cocoa powder is touted for its health benefits. Get creative with your mix-ins. Really, anything goes: raspberries, strawberries, pineapple, vanilla wafers, chopped nuts, chocolate chips. I’ve got some of this “ice cream” happily waiting for me in the freezer. Breakfast?
Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream”
Makes 3-4 cups
4 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons raw cocoa powder
- Peel the bananas and slice them into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick disks. Do not freeze the bananas whole. Place the banana slices in the freezer until they are frozen solid (at least 2 hours). This can be done a week in advance, but not much longer than that, the bananas start to change flavor the longer they sit in the freezer, and not in a good way.
- Pulse the frozen slices in a food processor until the frozen chunks become smooth and creamy. (Scrape the sides as needed.) Once creamy, add remaining ingredients. Pulse until very smooth and the mix-ins are fully incorporated. Serve immediately for soft serve consistency or store in the freezer for another time. Freezing will give the ice cream a hard ice cream texture, but allowing it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes will bring back the soft serve consistency.
