Chocolate Banana Toasted Hazelnut Ice Cream

I had surgery on Tuesday.  I am not telling you this to illicit any sympathy from my readers.  No, it’s just the prelude to this next recipe.  Anyway, in preparation for said surgery, I made sure to lay into my pantry the necessary ingredients for my comfort food.  Cheddar cheese, bread, butter, dill pickles, tomato soup, crackers, etc.  I really looked forward to my meal of grilled cheese and dill pickle sandwich with tomato soup and crackers.  For me, this is the ultimate recovery food I crave.

I also made a special treat that may well become my new comfort food.  Home made chocolate banana ice cream with toasted hazelnuts.  So rich and decadent.   We had to eat a little the night before the surgery, just to make sure it had healing abilities, ya know?

When I was being prepped for the surgery, I found myself babbling to the nurse about this ice cream.  I know I saw her salivating in my mind. 

You know when you come out of the anesthetic and start talking nonsense?  Not me, I started telling the recovery nurse all about the ice cream that I was going to eat.  I described it to her in great detail.  How I made it.  All about my Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment.  Oh, she got her ice cream lesson for the day.

Later that evening, Katie scooped up that frozen delight and topped it with perfectly sliced banana and toasted hazelnuts.  We enjoyed that recovery treat, cuddled up on the couch, watching a silly movie and I started to feel much better.  It was either the ice cream or all those pain meds……….

Best recovery food ever!

 

CHOCOLATE BANANA TOASTED HAZELNUT ICE CREAM

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (75% cocoa solids)

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup whipping cream

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts

Put the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate.  Let sit for 10 minutes to allow chocolate to melt and then stir until mixed.

Beat egg yolks with sugar until light and fluffy.  Pour chocolate mixture over the eggs and pour combined mixture back into the pan.  Stir over gentle heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Allow to cool.

Once cooled, pour into food processor or blender along with cut up banana.  Blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until cold.

Lightly whip cream and stir into chilled chocolate banana mixture.  Place in ice cream maker and churn until thick and frosty.  Add chopped toasted hazelnuts the final few minutes of churning.  Put in container and freeze for at least two hours.  Allow to sit out for about 10 minutes before serving.

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