Banana Ice Cream

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup purée bananas

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

This recipe makes more than will fit in our Krups Icecream Maker, which only has a 1-quart capacity.

Ice Cream Base - Custard Base or Cream Base

The ice cream base is the essential part of what makes ice cream really creamy and luxurious. The basic principle for making an ice cream base is to use cream and/or milk, egg yolks and sugar. Some people create a mix from these ingredients without heating when it’s generally referred to as a cream base. Others, myself included, prefer wherever possible to use heat in the process and create what’s known as a custard base.

This is a typical custard base method which involves heating:

First of all beat and mix together the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Separately, pour the milk into a saucepan and scald it (bring slowly up to boiling point). Pour the hot milk into the egg yolks and sugar mix whilst continuously stirring. Then pour the mixture into a double boiler and heat gently, stirring until the custard thickens - When you can see a film form over the back of your spoon it's time to remove from the heat. Leave to cool.

Then you can do 1 of 3 things:

a) pour the cooled custard into a bowl and add your chosen flavoring, then tranfer mixture to an ice cream maker

b) pour the cooled custard into a bowl and add cream plus your chosen flavoring, then tranfer mixture to an ice cream maker

c) chill the cooled custard thoroughly in the refrigerator. Whip some double cream and fold it into the chilled custard. Then add your chosen flavoring and transfer mixture to an ice cream maker