Ice Cream Cake Recipe : Banana Split Bombe
Ingredients
For the Bombe
2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 very ripe banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1 cup heavy cream
2 pints pistachio ice cream, softened
2 pints chocolate ice cream, softened
Banana Cake
Ingredients
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
2 very ripe bananas, 1 mashed (1/2 cup), 1 very finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment cut to fit, and butter and flour parchment. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and a pinch of cloves into a medium bowl. Whisk mashed banana, buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg, and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with banana mixture. Add chopped banana, and beat until well combined. Pour batter into pan, and use a spatula to spread into an even layer.
3. Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan, and invert pan onto rack. Remove parchment, and flip cake so top side faces up. Let cool completely on wire rack.
For the Hard Chocolate Topping
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/4 cup chopped pistachios, for garnish
Directions
1. Make the bombe: Spread vanilla ice cream in an even layer on bottom and up sides of a 5-quart heatproof bowl with a 9 1/2-inch-diameter rim. Ice cream should form a concave layer that comes up to the rim of the bowl. Freeze until set, about 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula, smooth the surface of the ice cream layer. Freeze again until very firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, place chocolate and banana in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan until bubbles begin to form around edges. Pour over chocolate and banana, and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk until combined. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk until chocolate melts. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until thick and spreadable, about 1 hour.
3. Spread chocolate-banana mixture in a thin, even layer over entire surface of vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Spread pistachio ice cream in a flat, smooth layer over chocolate-banana mixture, but not up sides. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Spread chocolate ice cream in a flat, smooth layer over pistachio ice cream. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
6. Place banana cake over chocolate ice cream, top side up, and press gently until cake fits snugly against ice cream. (If vanilla ice cream and ganache layers extend beyond top of cake, trim them with a sharp knife.) Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight (or up to 3 days).
7. To unmold bombe, dip bowl in a larger bowl of very hot water or use a small kitchen torch to warm outside of bowl. Continue dipping or torching bowl until bombe releases when inverted onto a serving platter. Remove bowl, wipe ice cream drips off platter, and freeze until bombe is very firm, about 1 hour.
8. Make the topping: Place chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir until chocolate and shortening melt. Let cool slightly, then slowly pour on top of bombe, spiraling in concentric circles to create a solid center with long drips down the sides. Sprinkle pistachios on top, and freeze until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes.
9. Run a large knife under hot water, and dry well. Use it to slice bombe into wedges, as you would a cake, wiping knife clean between cuts.
Cook’s Note
We used a KitchenAid 5-quart bowl for this bombe, but any 5-quart heatproof bowl will work. A metal bowl helps the ice cream set more quickly.
marthastewart.com
