What I have for you this time is a wonderful hot weather friend of ice cream but using a group of flavors that most people are not used to. This recipe utilizes a cream base which also happens to be VEGAN, but there's a twist, the old time CHURN or home made ice cream maker will NOT be used, (i have a solution using such at the end of this article in case you don't or can't follow these steps), we will be using LIQUID NITROGEN to make the CREAMIEST of ice cream. It is the lack of LARGE crystals when freezing that makes Ice cream even creamier, AND since we are FLASH freezing with nitrogen the crystals will be BY FAR much smaller than using a standard churn idea, pretty much instant to boot.
THE FLAVOR: Brown Sugar Banana Foster with Coconut Milk (COCONUT MILK??? I see you raising your nose but stick with me)
Ripe bananas are quite sweet on their own but when mixed with a rich dark molasses based sugar instead of standard white granular sugar you will wonder why you never did this before. But, its what we do with it next is what puts in a WOW factor, we CARMAELIZE the mix. Betcha I have your attention now. Now if that didn't set your mouth watering the next bit will probably twist your head. Instead of the very fattening cows milk for the cream, which also isn't Vegan, we will be adding in another flavor that goes very well with bananas, COCONUT MILK. Coconut milk tones back on the bananas sweetness but the caramelizing sets it all together in a nice yummy stew. You can pick coconut milk up at most grocers today in a bottle etc.
The hard part may be to get the type of sugar used in this which is dark and unrefined, its called JAGGERY! It comes in blocks at my store but may be bagged and ground down as Ive seen over the internet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaggery
What is Jaggery? Jaggery or Gur is a specific type of unrefined sugar popular in India. It is normally manufactured from either sugar cane or date palms, but recent trends in its manufacture have resulted in jaggery made from the sap of coconut and sago palms. While jaggery is useful in cooking, it is also an ancient part of Ayurvedic medicine and has spiritual significance in India too. The thicker dark molasses in the sugar adds a flavor you are probably not used to but trust me you will love it.
IF YOU CANNOT FIND JAGGERY, you can surely sub in some UNREFINED BROWN SUGAR.
As for the bananas, the ripeness needs to to be pretty high so look for the black specks on the outside before you prepare this.
So, what does this all mean? What I've done is take an old recipe and updated it using new techniques you most likely are not use to doing. Don't let it scare you. Its really fun and you can get everyone to watch it happen right before their eyes, and yours. (well the final phase anyway)
LIQUID NITROGEN COOKING
Yes its actually cooking as LN2 (liquid nitrogen) boils at under 300 below ZERO so in fact you are cooking but with COLD instead of heat. Boiling is just the transfer from liquid to gas state and does not mean HOT as we mostly associate with water boiling.
This is kind of a new fangled thing for many people and I must tell you that it can be dangerous when working with LN2 aka Liquid nitrogen. You're probably asking yourself, you're crazy to play with stuff that can freeze your finger(s) and cause it to shatter. While this is true it doesn't take much to be careful or really much in the way of hardware for handling it. Simple things like a basic small and cheap foam style coolers like what you can get in the quickstop or your local food store, even target and the ever evil walmart carry these for a few dollars in the fishing/camping equipment area.
LN2 (LIQUID NITROGEN SAFETY)
http://cookingissues.wordpress.com/primers/liquid-nitrogen-primer/
WHERE CAN I GET LN2?
you can obtain liquid nitrogen from compressed gas/welding suppliers.
HOW MUCH DO I NEED?
10 liters is enough to transport home with inherent losses and still have 3 or more liters left to cook with within a 24 hour period. LN2 evaporates in any open container, the better more efficient the container the less loss you will have.
REMEMBER, NEVER KEEP IN A SEALED CONTAINER. LN2 is always heating up thus expanding into gas and will cause a sealed container to EXPLODE.
A few other required items are:
A standard counter mixer (like a kitchen-aid etc) with a nice steel bowl and steel paddle mixing blade, do not use one with a plastic mix blade as the liquid nitrogen will destroy it as it freezes. DO NOT USE THE WHISK ATTACHMENT
The plain Styrofoam cooler (medium sized to make pouring easier from the corner)
A pair of Metal mixing bowls (medium to large to hold mix and possibly some LN2)
A metal hand held screen type strainer (to scoop stuff out of the nitrogen)
A metal flat spatula with holes in the blade (as above)
A few medium to large metal spoons (again one with holes like when spooning peas etc)
An oven mitt, not really needed unless the cold from the metal bowls bothers your hands as the metal bowls will get REALLY cold.
(MAKE YOUR OWN DOTS)
Just a simple note, you can make your own dipping dots type ice cream using ANY standard ice cream base, pour into a poultry baster, have a large steel bowl of LN2 ready and drip drops of the base into the LN2 and scoop out. DO NOT EAT THEM YET!!!
YOU MUST PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER TO WARM UP!!!
Yes i know that sounds odd but that's what you need to do or you can really be harmed with severe cold burns in your mouth.
Use a small cup to hold in the freezer over night.
OK enough science and on with the show!
This makes about 3/4 of a liter of ice cream
Since its not a standard cream base it will be a bit HARDER if left in the fridge, so you may want to pull it out a little before you want to eat some after putting in the freezer.
THE PARTS:
6-7 medium ripe bananas (1 1/4 cups of peeled and cut up)1/2 inch cuts
3/4 cup of Jaggery (or brown sugar)
2 cups of Coconut Milk
1/8 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of dark rum
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
(optional lemon juice or lemon zest) season to taste after cooking down the mix if you find the mix too sweet
In a broad skillet (wide sauce pan ok) heat the sugar with 1/4 of the coconut milk stirring it until it gets bubbly and smooth.
Add the bananas and the salt stirring occasionally until the bananas cook completely, they should be nice and soft and should take about 5 mins or so.
remove from heat and stir in the rest of the coconut milk, rum and vanilla. This is were you should taste it and see if its TOO sweet for your taste and add the lemon juice if you want. (a few drops is all) I don't add it but not everyone likes the same thing.
At this point you should have a steel bowl ready to receive the mix to cool it down just a bit more. Once its not steaming hot anymore pour into blender and liquefy the mixture, the smoother the better.
Ok, CAREFULLY pour your nitrogen into the cooler from whatever container it came in
Figure in that a chilled cream base of a liter in volume will use a liter of nitrogen to freeze, so since our base is actually kinda warm you will most likely use 2-3 liters of liquid nitrogen.
Take the mix from the blender and put into the table mixers bowl
turn mixer on to medium.
Slowly (and carefully) add in the liquid nitrogen, don't dump in too much as you will harden the mix too much too fast, the airation of the boiling nitrogen will add the air to the ice cream mix so it needs a little time to do its job or else it just freezes the top layer of mix, it WILL FOG UP. So pour a bit and then wait for the fox to lift and check it. Keep an eye on it as you keep adding more nitrogen!
You may want to use a standard stiff metal spatula at this point to scrape the sides of the bowl back into the middle.
Once smooth and creamy (unless you really like HARD ice cream)you can stop adding the nitrogen.
If you find you put too much nitrogen in and its lumpy or hard, stop adding the LN2 and turn up the speed of the mixer for a bit to blend and smooth back the texture a bit.
by the time you put down the cooler, stop the mixer and remove the bowl the nitrogen
will have evaporated and its safe to eat
ENJOY!!
Two notes/additions
1) Some people think it looks kinda UGLY, well, i will say its not a PRETTY color by any means, but most don't seem to care
2) A COOL addition to the mix is to use the nitrogen to flash freeze RASPBERRIES, grab a handful of them and place in a steel bowl of nitrogen for a few seconds. They will freeze harden. lift them out with the screen strainer or a flat metal spatula with the holes in the blade. place them in a paper towel or cheese cloth, cover with same. Then here's the fun part. WHACK THEM WITH A SMALL HAMMER!! or like object (rolling pin) but don't TOUCH them with any skin, it will burn(aka freeze burn). They will split into individual bits of the berries structure. You MUST now wait for them to thaw a bit, you don't want to eat them in this SOLID STATE, wait a few minutes and they will thaw a bit but you don't have to wait until they are completely melted again. put on top or mix in the last seconds of the ice cream chilling
Now one can surely do this with a standard ice cream churn, however changes must be made.
After using the blender to smooth out the base after cooking, place in a steel bowl to fully chill over night, THEN follow your directions for your churn. If you find it too thick when pulling from the fridge then whisk it briskly to loosen a bit before pouring into your ice cream maker.
