Banana Coconut Ice Cream Pie (TWD)

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Spike of Spike Bakes: Banana Coconut Ice Cream Pie.

When I was a kid, I loved going to Disneyland. We only lived 30 minutes from "the happiest place on earth," so I was lucky enough to get to go there at least once a year. Sure, I loved meeting the Disney characters, seeing the castle, and going on all the rides... but what did I really look forward to the most? The food :) I'm sure that if you're regular visitor to my blog, that can't really surprise you.

I'd love grabbing a churro and eating it while waiting in line for Splash Mountain. Or drinking one of those slushy lemonade drinks while waiting to board Star Tours. But my absolute favorite thing to get at Disneyland? Their frozen bananas! A banana dipped in chocolate, then rolled in peanuts and frozen to perfection! Yum!




Imagine my delight, then, when Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory came about and started offering frozen bananas in their stores! I was thrilled that I no longer had to be at an amusement park to enjoy one of my favorite frozen treats.  I've even gone and made my own frozen bananas at home a few times, but I always feel so wasteful dipping anything in chocolate because you always end up with some excess in the bowl.

So, when Spike chose the Banana Coconut Ice Cream Pie, I was eager to make it. Just reading the recipe immediately took me back to my childhood memories of frozen bananas! It's a layer of chocolate banana ice cream atop a coconut crust, sandwiched between two layers of sliced bananas (although I layered lots of banana slices on top of my pie, for the blog photos I only added a single banana to the slice I photographed).

While I adore the flavors of chocolate and bananas together, I have to agree with my husband in saying that the crust is the star of this recipe! Unfortunately, I couldn't find the LU shortbread cookies that Dorie recommends so I used graham cracker crumbs instead. Still, butter + browned coconut + cookie crumbs = one amazing crust! I didn't have a deep dish pie plate, so I used a springform pan instead and didn't have any problems.




For the ice cream, instead of using store bought chocolate ice cream I decided to make Dorie's Chocolate Ganache ice cream. After I added in the bananas and rum to the ice cream, it almost didn't make it into the pie! I may have to make a batch of Chocolate Banana ice cream in the near future (a much better use of over ripe bananas than banana bread!)

I loved this pie and since making it this weekend I have eaten half of it all by myself! :) It totally reminds me of my childhood frozen banana favorite, only it's kicked up a notch with an amazing buttery coconut crust.

Thanks Spike, for hosting this week. The recipe for the Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream is below; if you would like the recipe for the pie, you can find it here. Make sure you check out the TWD Blogroll, to see how everyone else enjoyed this cool, summery treat! Also, you've got one more day to enter my $100 gift card giveaway while you're here :)

* Recipes notes:
- If you do not have shortbread cookies, you can substitute graham cracker crumbs.
- For tips from other TWD bakers, click here.


Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar

Put the chocolate in a 2-quart liquid measuring cup or a large heatproof bowl. Bring ¾ cup of the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute, then, using a rubber spatula and starting in the center of the mixture, slowly stir the cream in to the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, set it aside.

Bring the milk and the remaining ¾ cup cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended and just slightly thickened. Still whisking, drizzle in about one third of the hot liquid- this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining liquid. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring without stopping, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon; of you run your finger down the bowl of the spoon, the custard should not run into the track. The custard should reach at least 170 degrees F, but no more than 180 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and gently stir the custard into the ganache.

Refrigerate the custard until chilled before churning it into ice cream.

Scrape the chilled custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into a container and freeze it for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.