Five Spice Banana Cream Recipes

FIVE SPICE BANANA CREAM

Steps:

• Place banana slices on a plate and freeze for 2-3 hours. Place bananas in a food processor along with the spice powder. Blend. In the beginning, the bananas will look like finely diced banana flakes but eventually they will come together and look like ice cream. If your bananas do not come together, it just means they are too frozen. Let them sit in the food processor for five minutes and then try again. If you want to add almond butter (not Dana or anyone allergic to nuts!) you can at this point and it will give it a mousse like consistency. Continue to blend until it looks like ice cream and enjoy!

FIVE-SPICE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Tear tangerine peel into pieces. Pulse peppercorns, star anise, cloves, and allspice to a coarse mixture in grinder.
• Combine cream, milk, tangerine peel, spices, and 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. With tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture, then drop in pod. Bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes.
• Bring spiced milk to a simmer, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding spices and peel. Return to saucepan.
• Whisk whole egg and yolks with remaining 1/2 cup sugar in bowl until pale, then add hot spiced milk in a slow stream, whisking. Return to saucepan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil). Immediately strain custard through fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in rum and kosher salt.
• Chill custard at least 6 hours, then freeze in ice cream maker.

FRIED BANANA WITH LAVENDER HONEY AND FIVE SPICE CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• For the ice cream: Add 1 at a time through the feed opening of a running blender, shredded coconut, sugar, coconut milk, coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl and stir in the milk and cream. Freeze in ice cream maker until desired consistency is achieved, about 20 to 25 minutes and reserve in freezer until needed.
• In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate syrup and the sachet of five-spice over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes to infuse flavors. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F, or as directed in the manufacturer's instructions for similar foods.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Add seltzer water in a stream while whisking constantly. Dip the bananas in the batter to coat and add to the deep-fryer basket which has been immersed in the oil. Fry until golden brown, drain on paper towels, and sift confectioner's sugar over immediately.
• In a small bowl toss reserved shredded coconut and cocoa powder. Place banana on serving plate and drizzle chocolate sauce over. Place a nest of chocolate dusted coconut alongside and top with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of honey.

SPICED BANANA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, nutmeg, cardamom, white pepper, and a pinch of salt in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture, then add pod. Purée banana in a food processor, then whisk into cream mixture. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes.
• Return to a boil, uncovered. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks in a large metal bowl. Add boiling-hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour into saucepan. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer (do not let boil). Remove from heat and force custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl, discarding solids. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and harden in freezer, about 1 hour. Let soften in refrigerator 1 to 1 1/2 hours and then at room temperature 10 minutes.