Creamy and rich brown butter banana ice cream flecked with vanilla bean seeds.

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream

You know how people talk about having pregnancy brain? Well, I’m pretty sure I have an equally as debilitating condition known as ‘wedding brain.’

It causes you to do things like photograph entire recipes without a memory card in your camera (just happened a few days ago), and attempt to lick self-sealing envelopes (happened yesterday). I also forgot a close family member’s last name when I was editing our guest list this past weekend.

So, there’s that.

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream Base

Oh yeah, and this is a little embarrassing, but you know those microfiber cloths that come with steam mops? Well, I had one hanging in my bathroom the other day and I accidentally almost put it on my head instead of a turbie twist. 

Is this normal? Please tell me it is! I’m beginning to worry and I’m still more than six months out.

Thankfully, I still had some of this brown butter banana ice cream left in the freezer when both of these things happened. Ice cream is perfect for these situations.

Brown Butter

And this particular ice cream is even more comforting.

This recipe is a twist on The Craft of Baking’s brown butter ice cream. Honestly, when I first glanced at the ingredient list, I was a little shell-shocked. An entire stick of butter? Not to mention egg yolks, heavy cream, and whole milk.

I’m all for rich desserts, but even this sounded a little over the top to me.

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream

Though this ice cream is definitely rich–I can’t deny that–it is not nearly as decadent as it first appears. The brown butter is simply a flavoring agent, and used to help infuse the milk, cream, and sugar mixture with that signature nutty and caramelized flavor that it is so well known for.

After this mixture is refrigerated overnight, you simply strain out any of the cold, browned butter solids, and discard them. This infused milk mixture is the base for the ice cream custard.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m still a little saddened at the idea of throwing away perfectly good brown butter–so feel free to reserve them, melt them, and use them in some other way! [Brown butter banana bread for a friend?]

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream

I mean, brown butter, creamy banana, vanilla bean seeds, ice cream. What’s not to like about this?

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream

Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream

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Yield: 1 Pint
Prep: 1 day 6 hours
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 1 day 6 hours 20 minutes
Creamy and rich brown butter banana ice cream flecked with vanilla bean seeds.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (4 oz; 115 g) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream
  • 1½ cups (360 mL) whole milk
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ½ whole vanilla bean scraped
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 ripe bananas mashed

Instructions 

  • Prepare the Brown Butter: Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is dark brown and very fragrant. It should have a caramelized, nutty smell. Immediately remove from the heat and allow the butter to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, whisk in the heavy cream followed by the whole milk.
  • Place the brown butter mixture in a large container, cover, and refrigerate and allow the mixture to infuse together overnight.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar vigorously with a stiff whisk until pale yellow in color.
  • Stir the chilled brown butter milk mixture with a spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the container to dislodge any large chilled butter pieces. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a medium saucepan. Discard the solid butter pieces (or alternatively, reserve and use for another recipe). Add the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar and the scraped vanilla bean seeds to the strained mixture. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil. Remove from the heat immmediately.
  • Temper the egg yolk mixture with the hot milk mixture, whisking continuously with one hand while you pour with the other. Add the salt and mix well.
  • Place the custard in a clean container and allow it to chill completely in the fridge. Once chilled, stir in the mashed bananas and refrigerate overnight, or minimum of 6 to 8 hours.
  • Churn the ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer instructions. Serve immediately (if you prefer a softer, froyo texture) or place in an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 to 3 hours to firm up. Cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Adapted from The Craft of Baking’s Brown Butter Ice Cream.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 304kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 200mg, Sodium: 212mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g
Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate
Course: Ice creams and Frozen Desserts
Cuisine: American