Banana Daiquiri Ice Cream

Banana Daiquiri Ice Cream

Hands On: 30 minutes / Churning: 20 to 25 minutes / Yield: 4 to 5 1/2 cups; 8 servings

Note: If using bottled lime juice, taste it before you use it. If left to sit too long in the refrigerator, lime juice (as well as lemon juice) can develop a strong bitter flavor.

Garnish with coarsely chopped macadamia nuts and fresh or frozen (but thawed) sweet cherries or the Cherry Sauce.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon lime zest (finely grated lime peel; colored part only)

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin or agar agar powder (not the flakes)

3 tablespoons honey or agavé nectar; additional 2 tablespoons as needed

1/8 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon clear stevia extract liquid (start with less; add more only if needed)

2 cups unsweetened, preservative-free coconut milk (regular not lite), mixed well before measuring

2 cups packed ripe bananas, sliced (2 large, or 3 to 4 medium)

2 tablespoons coconut rum or dark rum or 1 teaspoon natural rum flavoring

1/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts for garnish, optional

1. Grate the zest from the limes using a microplane or the small holes of a cheese grater. Set aside.

2. Juice the limes and add to a small saucepan. Slowly sprinkle with gelatin or agar agar powder. Let stand for 2 minutes until it softens and dry spots disappear. Warm over medium-low heat, without stirring, until gelatin or agar agar dissolves. Scrape the mixture into a blender, Vita-Mix, or food processor. Cover and process until smooth.

3. Add the honey or agavé, sea salt, and stevia. Blend. Add the coconut milk, banana, lime zest, and rum, or rum flavoring. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula. For a sweeter taste add an additional 1/8 teaspoon stevia and/or 1 tablesppon honey. Blend, taste, and repeate if needed.

4. Pour into one or more wide mouth jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

5. Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Serve immediately, or spoon into several 8- to 16- ounce freezer-safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

7. Soften solidly frozen dessert in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving [note: I found this step wasn't necessary with this particular recipe].

Variations:

Lite Banana Daiquiri Ice Cream: Replace half of the coconut milk with lite (reduced fat) coconut milk. Alternatively, use 100% lite coconut milk, but plan to use the batch immediately or within 24 hours before it becomes hard and icy.

Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream: Replace bananas with fresh or frozen (but thawed), unsweetened strawberries and their juices. Adjust the sweetness with 1 or 2 more more tablespoons honey or agavé nectar as needed.