Caramelized Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream and Spicy Chocolate Sauce
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Caramelized Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream and Spicy Chocolate Sauce
People ask me all the time... "What do you do to stay busy in the off chartering season?" Well, between keeping up with my three kids, extended family (which there are a lot of), friends, playing on two tennis teams, managing a home, blogging and taking cooking classes, my life is very full. You would think once your kids are adults, life would slow down. For me, it just hasn't. It just gets filled with other things!
When I am home in Santa Barbara I try to take cooking classes. Right now I am in the middle of a "Four Seasons Italian" series taught by Jane Hollander-Bonifazzi. I make an extra effort to take Chef Jane's classes. I just love her cooking style and recipes. She's a lot of fun too! Each class we make a five course meal and enjoy our efforts at the end.
A couple of weeks ago we made this Caramelized Banana with Vanilla Gelato and Spicy Chocolate Sauce recipe for desert. It was delicious and definitely something I will serve on Green Flash. I can't wait to try it with plantains since they are in abundance in the Virgin Islands.
I do a similar Rum Banana Sauce over a Brioche French Toast as a breakfast on Green Flash which I will share in a later post. But for now, we are talking desert!
Personally, I prefer ice cream to gelato. The higher fat content makes it creamier. When I made this yummy desert at home for my family, I served it with Rori's Artisanal Creamery ice cream. In Santa Barbara there are several choices of local ice cream brands. I have to say, Rori's is my new favorite. Rori Trovato uses all organic dairy products from Strauss Family Creamery to create her yumminess. Her flavors all come from real ingredients. They don't offer a huge selection of flavors, but they are special, and lets get real... all you need is your one favorite!
I must admit, the Spicy Chocolate Sauce over these Caramelized Bananas with a touch of creaminess... aaahhh... such a tasty combination!
Caramelized Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream
Recipe Type: Desert
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 large Ripe Bananas
- 2 T Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 C packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Pint Vanilla Gelato or Ice Cream
Instructions
- Peel the Bananas so that you have 4 intact half-peels.
- Divide peels among 4 serving plates.
- Cut Bananas crosswise into 1-inch lengths, then cut each piece in half lengthwise.
- Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Add Bananas in 1 layer and sprinkle with Sugar.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook Bananas, gently turning once and shaking skillet occasionally, until Sugar is caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Divide Banana pieces and any Caramel from pan among peels.
Spicy Chocolate Sauce
Recipe Type: Desert
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 6 whole dried Arbol Chiles
- 4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Crumble 2 Chiles into a small saucepan.
- Add Chocolate and 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water.
- Heat over medium heat, whisking, until Chocolate is melted.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to strain out the peppers and seeds, then divide among 4 small serving dishes.
- Garnish with remaining whole Chiles.
- Serve Bananas with Gelato or Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce, drizzling the Sauce over the Ice Cream or Gelato or use it for dipping.
