# What goes with bananas?



## Mad Cook (Aug 2, 2013)

I don't like bananas so only eat them as a penance (mashed with Weetabix and plain yoghourt - kills the taste and deals with the texture) when I'm on Slimming World but I do make (so I'm told) a very good banana, walnut and rum ice cream.

A friend has to do a dinner party for her husband's boss and clients (I thought that went out with Formica kitchens and paper nylon underskirts!!!) and has asked me to make an ice cream bombe with an outer of the banana ice cream and a filling of some sort. I'm not sure where to go with this as I don't know what does go with bananas. 

I usually do a bombe with a sorbet  inside (rather than a mousse) as it cuts the richness of the ice cream but at a pinch could use another flavour of ice cream. I thought of:-

chocolate sorbet 
caramel sorbet 
lime and ginger sorbet
salted caramel ice cream (probably a bit rich but her husband deserves to be sick for dumping her in this situation!) .

Any other ideas for something that would compliment the banana, walnut and rum flavours?


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## GotGarlic (Aug 2, 2013)

I've never made a sorbet, but I like to put pecans and cinnamon in my banana-nut bread. Would that work?


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## MrsLMB (Aug 2, 2013)

Chocolate goes really well with banana as does coconut.  Good luck with your project .. let us know how it goes !


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## Hoot (Aug 2, 2013)

You could make banana splits for dessert.


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## forty_caliber (Aug 2, 2013)

Peanut butter and bananas are one of my favorites.

.40


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## lyndalou (Aug 2, 2013)

I love peanut butter and bananas, too.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Aug 2, 2013)

Bananas Foster

Recipe from Brennans, the originator of the dessert

Simple preparation, but a very dramatic presentation


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## merstar (Aug 2, 2013)

MrsLMB said:


> Chocolate goes really well with banana as does coconut.  Good luck with your project .. let us know how it goes !



Ditto! 
Also, mango and pineapple go well with banana.


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## Dawgluver (Aug 2, 2013)

merstar said:


> Ditto!
> Also, mango and pineapple go well with banana.



Ooh, a mango and pineapple sorbet....sounds like your ice cream is already pretty rich, this would be nice with it.


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## Mad Cook (Aug 7, 2013)

Thanks everyone. I'm going to experiment with pineapple and coconut tomorrow. It's quite nice and sharp so should contrast the sweetness of the banana.


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## Kylie1969 (Aug 8, 2013)

lyndalou said:


> I love peanut butter and bananas, too.



YUM


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## menumaker (Aug 8, 2013)

Salted caramel ice-cream would do it for me. ( Think Banoffi) Like you, I'm not mad about bananas either so not something  serve often.  A strawberry sorbet could work in the middle with a touch of brandy or vodka to keep it a wee bit on the soft side perhaps.It would also go with the other flavours.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 8, 2013)

I hate bananas, but I pick them up on the "past their best buy date" for the girls. They love them. For me, it is the texture and smell. However, I do like banana bread--the only way I can stomach bananas.


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## salt and pepper (Aug 8, 2013)

Monkeys & bananas go together. But I really think, pancakes, chocolate and nuts and pie.


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## KatyCooks (Aug 8, 2013)

menumaker said:


> Salted caramel ice-cream would do it for me. ( Think Banoffi) Like you, I'm not mad about bananas either so not something serve often. A strawberry sorbet could work in the middle with a touch of brandy or vodka to keep it a wee bit on the soft side perhaps.It would also go with the other flavours.


 
Hi menumaker!  I knew we would meet eventually!  

I think salted caramel is a great idea.


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## Kylie1969 (Aug 12, 2013)

salt and pepper said:


> Monkeys & bananas go together


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## Kylie1969 (Aug 12, 2013)

Bananas, caramel and cream, go very well together


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## Mad Cook (Oct 8, 2013)

I know this was a long time ago but I said I'd give a report so .....

I eventually went with caramel sorbet inside the banana, walnut and rum ice cream shell.

Friend said it went down well.


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## CWS4322 (Oct 8, 2013)

I still don't believe anything goes with bananas other than monkeys. Can you share your recipe?


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## KatyCooks (Oct 8, 2013)

Here is what I do with bananas.  It works equally well on a BBQ or in the oven.  (One banana per person - so multiply as required).

Split the skin of the banana along the inside curve and pull the skin away slightly.  

Stab the banana with a fork, then drizzle with rum (of your choice).

Stash pieces of dark chocolate along the sides - between the skin and the banana.

Wrap in tin foil and heat on the BBQ or in the oven.   Timings really depend on the size of the banana and how impatient you are feeling.  But the banana should be soft - but not totally mushy.  15 - 20 minutes on the BBQ - 30 minutes in a hot oven?  

Open up the parcel and serve with fresh whipped cream and/or ice cream.  

Truly delicious!


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## merstar (Oct 9, 2013)

KatyCooks said:


> Here is what I do with bananas.  It works equally well on a BBQ or in the oven.  (One banana per person - so multiply as required).
> 
> Split the skin of the banana along the inside curve and pull the skin away slightly.
> 
> ...



Aieee! - that sounds great!


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## larry_stewart (Oct 9, 2013)

KatyCooks said:


> Here is what I do with bananas.  It works equally well on a BBQ or in the oven.  (One banana per person - so multiply as required).
> 
> Split the skin of the banana along the inside curve and pull the skin away slightly.
> 
> ...



Similar to this technique, I was once watching a Bobby Flay show, where a guest split the skin of the banana along the inside curve , pulled skin away slightly ( as mentioned above).  He then put sweetened condensed milk in, and sprinkled cinnamon ( too early in the morning to try and spell cinnamon, took me 4 tries), wrapped in foil and grilled until warm.  I tried this ( in the oven ) and it really was good.


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## Cooking Goddess (Oct 9, 2013)

Hmm, never thought of rum.  When I was a Girl Scout leader we'd make Banana Boats on the campfire.  The approved youth version is:  Cut a slit into the banana right through the peel, not quite from end-to-end.  Pry the slip open a bit, lay pieces of Hershey chocolate from a candy bar (the kind you use for S'Mores) into the slit, then stuff mini-marshmallows along side the chocolate.  Wrap in foil, toss on fire (or grill or in fireplace) and bake about 15 minutes (? - little fuzzy on the time).  Pull from fire, let foil cool until you can open the wrap, and scoop out goodness with a spoon.

When we have a fire this winter I'll have to try your version with rum Katy.


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## Mad Cook (Oct 9, 2013)

CWS4322 said:


> I still don't believe anything goes with bananas other than monkeys. Can you share your recipe?


Off hand I can't remember the quantities I used but it's basically 4 bananas and the juice of 1/2 a lemon pureed in the processor or mashed well with a fork sweetened to taste with about 3ounces of icing sugar (powdered sugar) and rum stirred in. Then 12 fluid ounces of softly whipped heavy cream folded in. You can use vanilla extract (not essence) if you have a problem with the rum or you're giving it to children.

My ice cream machine is one of those with a bowl which needs to be frozen. I put the banana mixture in and run it until it stops. The ice cream is still quite soft. I fold in the walnuts and either put it into a lock and lock and chuck it in the freezer or if I'm making a bombe I use a china, glass or metal pudding basin (not plastic) which has been in the freezer for a couple of hours and I spread the ice cream in it so it lines the bowl with an even layer leaving a basin shaped depression. Pop it in the freezer to get firm and in the meantime make the sorbet:

1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) Kosher or sea salt

Heat the sugar in a dry heavy saucepan without stirring until it begins to melt and turns a golden colour (watch it like a hawk!). Continue cooking stirring with a fork until it achieves a caramel colour. Add the water VERY CAREFULLY as the caramel will bubble up and spit in an alarming manner (I wear gloves for this part!). Return to the heat and cook, stirring continually until caramel is completely dissolved. Stir in salt and chill until cold. Churn as for ice cream and when churning stops spoon the sorbet into the lined bowl, cover and freeze. You can fold a stiffly beaten egg white to the cold sorbet before freezing if you are OK with uncooked egg. I usually do it but I know some people are worried about it.

To serve, remove the bombe from the freezer. wrap a hot damp cloth round the bowl for a few seconds and then turn it out of the bowl onto a serving plate. Decorate if you wish in any way that suits with fruit such as strawberries or with crystalized flowers or sparklers or candles - wherever your creative bent sends you. Keep in the 'fridge until you are ready to serve it but not much longer than 1/2 an hour. If you try to serve it directly from the freezer you won't be able to portion it out. I usually serve it in narrow wedges like a cake.

It's not as fiddly as it sounds and the beauty of it is that you can make it a week or two in advance and people think you are _really_ clever!


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## Mad Cook (Oct 9, 2013)

larry_stewart said:


> Similar to this technique, I was once watching a Bobby Flay show, where a guest split the skin of the banana along the inside curve , pulled skin away slightly ( as mentioned above). He then put sweetened condensed milk in, and sprinkled cinnamon ( too early in the morning to try and spell cinnamon, took me 4 tries), wrapped in foil and grilled until warm. I tried this ( in the oven ) and it really was good.


I'm sure that if I was a banana fan I would really love that but cooked bananas have the same affect in my mouth as stewed tripe and onions. I was at a dinner party once where I didn't know the hosts very well and baked bananas in rum was the dessert. I tried, I _really_ tried,to swallow it but I had to surreptitiously spit the banana into my table napkin). Fortunately the napkin was paper so I could slip it into my handbag.


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## CatPat (Oct 10, 2013)

I like to put bananas, vanilla ice cream, some milk and the GF Suisse Mocha coffee mix into a blender and mix it well. Then we have a type of a banana and Suisse Mocha smoothie.

It does sound odd, but it is very nice!

With love,
~Cat


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