Banana ice cream is a spoon dessert that captivates with its natural taste and incredible creaminess. Ideal for a refreshing snack or to conclude a meal with sweetness, it is perfect for both adults and children. Making it at home is very simple and, thanks to this recipe, it’s within everyone’s reach, whether you have a storage ice cream maker or prefer to use more traditional methods.
The recipe enhances simple and genuine ingredients: ripe bananas for authentic flavor, cream, and milk for a velvety texture, a touch of lemon juice to preserve the fruit color, and sugar combined with dextrose to achieve the right sweetness and to keep the ice cream creamy even after freezing. Potato starch also helps ensure a soft and perfectly blended texture.
This ice cream is not only a delicious dessert but also a great solution to use ripe bananas, reducing kitchen waste. You can serve banana ice cream in simple cups, or embellish it with decorations like chocolate shavings, hazelnut crumbs, or a drizzle of honey for an extra tasty touch.
The result? A homemade dessert that captures all the goodness of fruit, prepared with love and customizable according to your tastes. Such a good ice cream deserves to be shared with the people you love!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3.17 oz sugar
- 1.76 oz dextrose
- 0.63 cups fresh liquid cream
- 0.42 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon potato starch
Tools
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
- 1 Blender
- 1 Container cold
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spatula
Steps
Prepare the banana: Peel the bananas and slice them coarsely. Immediately place them in the blender cup (or in a bowl if using an immersion blender).
Blend the banana: Add half of the granulated sugar (i.e., 45g) and the lemon juice to the bananas. Blend everything until you obtain a smooth puree without pieces.
Why lemon? It helps prevent the banana from oxidizing (turning dark) and balances the sweetness, enhancing the fruit’s flavor.To the banana mixture, add the fresh liquid cream (cold from the fridge), the whole milk (cold from the fridge), the remaining sugar (the remaining 45g), the dextrose, and the potato starch. Don’t forget the vanillin or vanilla extract for an enveloping aroma.
Cold ingredients: It is essential that the cream and milk are very cold to ensure the creaminess of the ice cream.
Blend again: Blend again for at least 2-3 minutes, until you get a perfectly homogeneous, smooth, and slightly foamy mixture. This is the time to taste and, if desired, adjust the sweetness.Start the ice cream maker: Pour the freshly blended mixture directly into the bowl of your ice cream maker, which must have been previously chilled in the freezer for at least 12-24 hours.
Churning: Start the ice cream maker and let it churn the mixture for about 30 minutes. The exact time may vary slightly depending on the model of your ice cream maker and the desired consistency. The ice cream will be ready when it reaches a thick and creamy consistency, similar to that of soft ice cream.
Rest (if necessary): If after churning the ice cream is still a bit soft for your taste, transfer it to a cold container and store it in the freezer for a few hours before serving.
In the freezer: Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container (preferably metal, as it conducts cold better) and place it in the freezer.
Stir regularly: This is the secret to creamy ice cream without an ice cream maker! Every 30-40 minutes, take the container out of the freezer and vigorously stir the mixture with a spatula or whisk. Break the ice crystals that form on the edges and mix well.
Why? Frequent stirring prevents the formation of large ice crystals, which would make the ice cream hard and grainy.
Repeat: Continue to stir every 30-40 minutes for at least 3-4 hours, or until the ice cream reaches the desired consistency. The more you stir, the creamier it will be!Serve and decorate: Once your banana ice cream has the right consistency, it’s ready to enjoy! Serve it in individual cups.
Decoration ideas: You can embellish it with dark chocolate shavings, hazelnut crumbs, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, or some fresh banana slices. Your creativity has no limits!
Tips
Ripe but not too ripe bananas: Choose well-ripened bananas (with a few black spots on the peel) for a sweeter and more intense flavor. Avoid those that are overly blackened.
The importance of dextrose: Dextrose is a simple sugar with a higher antifreeze power than regular sugar. It helps keep the ice cream soft and creamy even after several hours in the freezer, preventing it from becoming too hard. If you don’t have it, you can replace it with an equal amount of granulated sugar, but keep in mind that the final texture might be slightly less soft.
The role of starch: Potato starch (or cornstarch) acts as a natural stabilizer. It helps bind the ingredients, improve texture, and prevent the formation of ice crystals, making the ice cream smoother.
Cold container: Place the container where you will store the ice cream in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before transferring the mixture. This will help keep the ice cream cold during the transfer.
Lighter version: For a less caloric ice cream, you can replace the cream with whole plain yogurt or fresh ricotta (in this case, blend everything very well to get a smooth cream).
Vegan and Lactose-Free Variations: This ice cream lends itself well to alternative versions! You can replace the milk and cream with almond, soy, or coconut milk and vegetable cream for desserts (like coconut or soy cream). The flavor will change slightly, but it will still be delicious!
Add indulgence: For an even richer ice cream, try adding chocolate chips, nut pieces, or a teaspoon of peanut butter to the blend or at the end of churning.
FAQ – Banana Ice Cream
Can I replace dextrose with regular sugar only?
Yes, you can do that, using the same amount (140g of sugar in total). However, dextrose helps keep the ice cream softer and less crystallized in the freezer.
Can the ice cream be made without starch?
Yes, it is possible, but starch acts as a stabilizer, making the ice cream creamier and less “icy.” If you omit it, the ice cream might be slightly less smooth.
Can plant-based milk and cream be used?
Absolutely yes! You can use almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk, and specific plant-based cream for desserts. The final flavor will slightly change depending on the type of plant-based beverage chosen, but it will still be excellent and suitable for vegan diets or those intolerant to lactose.
Should the bananas be fresh or frozen?
To prepare the ice cream base, it’s best to use fresh and very ripe bananas. However, if you have excess ripe bananas, you can cut them into slices and freeze them, then use them in the mixture, reducing the amount of ice or churning time.
