Oh, I have so very much to say about this recipe. First of all, it’s a creamy, dreamy banana rum raisin ice cream that requires exactly NO ice cream maker. Nope, all you need is your mixer, your food processor and your freezer, and I’m guessing you have all of those on the premises. Second of all, I’ve now made it a whole bunch of times, and at one point I nabbed the Southern husband eating it for breakfast. Yep, it’s that good.
However, let me roll time back to the first time I made it. Now, one of the ingredients is (obviously) bananas. But you can’t use any old bananas…you need them to be nice and soft and ripe. Bananas are extremely popular in my house, and they rarely get the chance to get that ripe before someone eats them, which is usually just fine. But in this case, I needed FOUR nice ripe soft bananas for the ice cream, and I was a teeny bit concerned that four bananas wouldn’t make it all the way to the necessary degree of ripeness before someone scarfed them down.
So I mentioned that four of those bananas were mine. Off limits. Not to be eaten. I may have said all of those things a few times, because one day I wandered into the kitchen to see this.
Yep, I live with a Southern comedian. (And I guess he’s not the only one who thinks he’s funny, because I put this picture up on my Framed Cooks Facebook page and it got more “Likes” than anything else I have ever posted. As if he needed any more encouragement.)
Anyway, this ice cream is as simple as this: Simmer some dark rum, some sugar and some golden raisins together and let them cool for a half hour. Meantime, take your four precious bananas and whirl them in the food processor with a can of sweetened condensed milk until they are smooth and silky. Now whip a couple of cups of heavy cream until it’s, well, whipped.
Now fold the banana mixture into the whipped cream, and then stir in the rum mixture. Your ice cream mixture is going to be a little bit liquid…no worries, it’s doing just what it should. Pour the whole thing into a loaf pan, and cover it with plastic wrap. Now tuck it into the furthest, coldest part of your freezer, crank the freezer up to the highest setting, and leave it alone for 24 hours. The rum is going to need about that long to freeze up.
When you pull it out, it will be a gorgeous, soft, creamy, banana-infused ice cream, all ready to be scooped into dishes and garnished with toasted coconut. It’s enough to make everyone in your house keep their mitts off your bananas with no wisecracks.
(I secretly love the wisecracks. Don’t tell him.)
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Banana Rum Raisin Ice Cream
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts
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Pin RecipeIngredients
- 3/4 cup dark rum
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 soft ripe bananas, sliced
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
- 2 cups chilled heavy cream
- Toasted sweetened coconut for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Put rum, raisins and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a full boil. Turn off heat and cool for 30 minutes.
- Put bananas and condensed milk into a food processor and process for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Fold the banana mixture into the whipped cream, and then stir in the rum mixture until fully incorporated. Mixture will be a thick liquid…this is the way it should be!
- Pour into a 5×9 inch loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer (usually in the back) with the freezer on the highest setting for 24 hours.
- Serve garnished with toasted coconut.
I own an ice cream maker and yet I still relish any recipe that doesnt require me to lug it out and actually use it. That totally makes sense, right? ANd one this luscious..well. I need it in my life,
It makes complete sense to me – that’s my motto!
What a great technique! Sort of a semi freddo, isn’t it? I’m one of those people who let their ice cream get a little soft before they eat it, so this is perfect for me. I guess I can stop throwing out those overripe bananas now. 😉 After all, there’s only so much banana bread you can eat, but there’s always room for Ice cream (sorry, Jello). Great recipe, Kate.
Yes, very similar to semifredo. And yes…there’s more to bananas than banana bread! Although I do love banana bread. 🙂
I love the idea of not having to use the ice cream maker. This looks and sounds wonderful. I wonder if you could substitute something for the rum as I don’t have any on hand. Also, how about pineapple instead of raisins, as I really don’t care for raisins in my ice cream. I think I will play around with this and see what I come up with. Will let you know what I end up with.
Definitely let me know! Ice cream is great fun to experiment with.
This looks great! My friend owns an ice cream shop in Westchester County and has rum raisin as one of her old fashioned flavors. It’s so delicious! I love that you put bananas in yours. It sounds amazing!
A friend with an ice cream shop? I am JEALOUS!! You are a lucky girl. 🙂
I revised this recipe by draining 3/4 cup of crushed pineapple, then using the 3/4 cup of the juice i n place of the rum and 1/2 cup sugar. Followed the rest of the recipe but at the end added 3/4 cup toasted walnuts which I left in rather large pieces. This turned out absolutely fabulous. Thanks so much for the recipe. Will make this again and again.
Wow! Thanks for this delicious-sounding version…and perfect timing for the heat wave!! 🙂
What a fun flavor of ice cream, Kate! Banana rum raisin sounds just perfect! Love the combination!
Thanks Gayle! And no ice cream maker! All my favorite things. 🙂
That pic is so hilarious. No wonder it got so many likes! I’m glad your husband laughs about it, because living with a food blogger means that you can’t eat ANYTHING without clearing it first! 🙂
And this ice cream looks fantastic. It’s a year-round thing for me, and I’m glad you feel the same way!
He’s definitely learned the living with a food blogger rules! 🙂
This ice cream sounds heavenly! How wonderful that you don’t have to use an ice cream maker too. My family would love this! 😉
The no ice cream maker part is a game-changer to me – I just can’t face that appliance!
i LOVE your post-it–i need that sort of thing in my house too. great version of what i find to be a uniquely and surprisingly delicious ice cream flavor!
Thanks Grace! Always thinking when it comes to ice cream. 🙂