Banana Split

Not your classic banana split, this ice cream sundae is made with a caramelized banana, hazelnut ice cream, coffee halva ice cream, and a chocolate sea salt ice cream.

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

freezing8

Total Time9 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana, Chocolate, coffee, halva, hazelnut, ice cream sundae

Servings:

Calories: 811kcal

Equipment

Electric Mixer

Ingredients

Ice Creams

65 grams hazelnut butter
75 grams dark chocolate
390 grams sweetened condensed milk 1 can
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
390 grams heavy whipping cream cold
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
50 grams halva

Banana Split

3 bananas
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
200 grams heavy whipping cream cold
50 grams powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 pinch fine sea salt for the whipped cream
2 pinches flaky sea salt for the bananas when assembling
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
9 amarena cherries

Instructions

No Churn Ice Creams

If your hazelnuts aren't roasted and peeled:In a large pan, pour in the hazelnuts. Place over medium low heat, stirring frequently to keep from burning, until they become golden brown and the skins start to flake off.
Pour the toasted hazelnuts onto a kitchen towel and rub against each other with the towel to remove the skins. Ideally this will take off most of the skins, if it doesn't, use your fingers to peel as much as you can (but don't stress if there's still some left).
Transfer the toasted and peeled hazelnuts to a high powered blender or food processor. Blend on medium low speed, slowly increasing to high until a smooth butter forms - set aside.
In a small microwave safe bowl, add in the dark chocolate and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted.
Separate the sweetened condensed milk into three separate mixing bowls. Add the espresso powder into one bowl and beat until dissolved and only a few small flecks remain.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, add in the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and fine sea salt. Whip on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.
Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to each of the bowls with the sweetened condensed milk. Fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milks until smooth. Be careful not to stir and knock all the air out.
Add the hazelnut butter into one of the two bowls without the espresso mixture and fold again to combine. Swirl in the chocolate hazelnut spread and only fold three times.
Pour the melted and cooled chocolate into the third bowl and use the mixer to beat until smooth. Sprinkle in the flaky salt and fold to combine.
Crumble the halva into the coffee bowl and fold once more.

Assemble and Freeze the Ice Cream

Line a metal loaf pan with parchment paper or prepare your container of choice for the ice cream.
If pouring all ice creams into the same pan, you'll need to create three dividers. I won't lie this part tends to be a little messy and chaotic.
Start by pouring the chocolate ice cream into the first of the three sections in the loaf pan. Then pour in the coffee halva, and last but not least the hazelnut.
Place the assembled ice cream into the freezer to set for at least 2 hours, then use a pairing knife to help slide the dividers out, and leave to finish freezing over night.
Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes prior to serving.

Banana Split Assembly

Add the butter into a sauce pan and place over low heat until melted. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Cut off the stem of a banana and then cut in half lengthwise. Place the banana halves face down into the pan. Let them caramelize for 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Check after 5 minutes and cook until golden.
Once cooked, remove from the pan and place face up on a plate or tray to cool slightly.
Prep the whipped cream by whipping cold heavy cream, vanilla bean extract, powdered sugar, and salt to medium stiff peaks.
Place both halves of caramelized banana into your dish or on a plate and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Add one scoop of each ice cream in between the caramelized halves.
Top each scoop of ice cream with another scoop of whipped cream. Then sprinkle with cacao nibs or chocolate sprinkles.
Last but not least, top each scoop of whipped cream with an amarena or maraschino cherry. Serve immediately.

Notes

Tips for a Banana Split

When toasting hazelnuts keep the heat below medium and don't walk away- you want to keep tossing the hazelnuts to keep them from burning. This allows the oils to release and therefore the skin to come off.
Any instant espresso will work for the coffee ice cream. Don't use ground coffee beans because they won't dissolve properly into the sweetened condensed milk.
If you don't have or don't like halva, you can leave it out or swirl in crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
Make sure to use at least 60% dark chocolate but not unsweetened chocolate - I tend to go with Tony's Chocolonely 70% chocolate.
These ice creams are quite creamy but for optimal scoopability, but still allow it to sit out for 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving.
These ice creams make enough for about 3 full banana splits. If you want to make more, simply double or triple each ice cream.
Make sure to have all toppings ready to go before assembling the banana split.

Nutrition