Banana custard ice cream

Turn this favorite taste combination very quickly into your family’s favorite ice cream.

* Serves 6

• 4 ripe bananas, plus more for serving
• juice of 1 lemon
• 6 tbsp. clear honey
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought vanilla custard
• 1 cup heavy cream, softly whipped, plus more for serving
• caramel shards

In a blender or food processor, blend the bananas with the lemon juice, honey, and vanilla until creamy smooth. Blend the mixture into the custard evenly and then fold in the whipped cream.
Spoon the mixture into a freezer container. Freeze for 1 hour, then break up with a fork until smooth again. Return to the freezer until firm or until ready to serve.

Serve scoops of the ice cream with more banana slices and whipped cream and a scattering of caramel shards.

This ice cream will freeze for up to 1 month. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes or more before serving to soften slightly.

Variations:

• Banana & coconut custard ice cream

Prepare the basic recipe, stirring in 1/4 cup shredded coconut before freezing. Serve sprinkled with toasted coconut instead of the original toppings.

• Banana & nougat custard ice cream

When preparing the basic recipe, stir in 1/3 cup chopped nougat just before freezing. Serve sprinkled with toasted sliced almonds and confectioners’ sugar instead of the original toppings.

• Banana custard & jelly ripple ice cream

Prepare the basic ice cream and when it is ready for the final freezing, swirl in 6 tablespoons raspberry or black cherry jelly.

• Banana & taffy custard ice cream

Just before freezing the basic recipe stir in 1/3 cup chopped apple sour taffy or another chewy apple candy.

• Banana custard ice cream with peanut butter ripple

Prepare the basic recipe and just before freezing stir in 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter.