Banana Caramel Pecan Ice Cream

I'm not sure where the idea of whipped banana "ice cream" originated, but I first heard about it at Alissa Cohen's site when I was new to raw foods. Good instructions for it are everywhere. And it's no wonder: made simply with bananas (and sometimes a bit of liquid to blend), it has the consistency of soft serve, and requires only a food processor to make.

But there’s always something more to be done with it. My version adds pecans, and is a bit salty, like classic butter pecan ice cream. Dates, with their dark chewy bite, add the perfect caramel chewiness and round out the flavors. Make it on a hot summer day, when you're too impatient to wait for a churning ice cream machine, and the neighborhood kids are antsy for something cold.


Banana Caramel Pecan Ice Cream
about 1 pint

4 medium frozen bananas, broken into chunks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or seeds scraped from 1” of vanilla bean
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup raw pecans
2 large Medjool dates, halved and pitted

In a food processor, combine bananas, vanilla extract or vanilla bean, and sea salt. The bananas will get pulverized into tiny bits, then the bottom layer will begin to come together as a big soft mass. Scrape down the sides, and continue processing until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps; it should appear whipped and airy. This may take a long time, so be patient with it.


Sprinkle pecans and dates evenly over the top, and pulse until just mixed in. Serve immediately. The ice cream does not keep well, and is best eaten sitting on a porch with neighbors, as above.

You can always add more to the basic mixture of bananas + a pinch of sea salt. Blend in powders and extracts with the bananas, and add chunky bits and fruit at the end:
Fresh pineapple chunks, cherries, and a few drops almond extract
Raw cacao nibs, flaked coconut, and brazil nuts
Quartered figs, raw pistachios, and a drizzle of orange flower water
Cacao or cocoa powder, with a swirl of peanut or almond butter

Or, mound the basic banana cream into an Almond Shortbread Crust and top with strawberries for ice cream pie...the possibilities are endless!