Triple Banana Tahini Cookie Dough Ice Cream

This recipe is a trifecta of magical deliciousness. It's rich and creamy without being heavy with dairy. The recipe is not difficult. It takes a few steps over a couple of days. The hardest part is waiting for it is be ready to serve! It combines coconut milk, bananas, tahini cookie dough and banana caramel into one delicious ice cream. Need I say more? Start this recipe a couple of days before you intend to serve to allow for two nights of overnight chilling. It's worth the wait!

Triple Banana Tahini Cookie Dough Ice Cream

To make the cookie dough – In a food processor combine the almond meal, coconut sugar, tahini, banana, salt, and vanilla bean paste. Pulse until smooth. Fold in the toasted walnuts. Drop by small spoonfuls on a large sheet pan and freeze overnight. This recipe only needs one half of the cookie dough. Save the remaining frozen dough bites for the next ice cream batch. 

Make the ice cream base – Soak the cashews one hour in hot water. Drain. Transfer to a high-speed blender, add ⅔ cup water and purée until smooth. 

Combine the sugar and 3 tbsp of water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add the coconut oil and cacao butter. Let rest until the cacao butter is melted. Add to the high-speed blender along with the remaining ingredients. Purée until smooth. Chill overnight.

Transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturers’ instructions until thick. Fold in half of the frozen cookie dough bites. Transfer to a quart storage container and freeze until solid overnight.

To make the banana caramel – In a high-speed blender, add all of the ingredients and purée on high until very smooth, 1-2 minutes. Pour into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is a rich golden brown color. Pour into a clean glass jar, cover, and store
in the refrigerator.

To serve, put a few small scoops in a small bowl and top with a dollop of banana caramel and a few chopped walnuts.

makes 1 quart

COOKIE DOUGH 

  • ¾ cup almond meal
  • 3 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • ½ large banana, sliced
  • ¼ tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
  • ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped 

ICE CREAM BASE 

  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ⅔ cup water
  • ¾ cup organic cane sugar
  • 3 tbsp water
  • ¼ cup refined coconut oil
  • ¼ cup cacao butter, grated
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 small ripe banana
  • one 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp Giffard Banane du Brésil or dark rum, optional 
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ½ tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

BANANA CARAMEL

  • 2 large bananas
  • 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
  • 1 cup of coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½  tsp sea salt