If you are what you eat then I would undoubtedly end up some cross between a banana and a block of extra sharp white cheddar. Not exactly a pretty outcome, but reality nonetheless. I always try to have bananas on hand and I do my best to eat them before they go bad, but a girl can only eat so much fruit. Sometimes they do sit on the counter and turn an unsightly shade, and instead of throwing them out I freeze them to use in bread or muffins at a later time.

Last weekend it occurred to me that the bag of frozen bananas was absolutely taking over and beginning to consider creating a freezer dictatorship with the carton of Ben & Jerry’s and Stouffers frozen lasagna. A recipe intervention was urgently in order. Thankfully I found a lovely and simple sorbet that allowed me to use all six of the troublesome bananas at one time so peace has once again resumed in the freezer kingdom.

I absolutely loved how this sorbet came out! The texture and taste were excellent, and I like to think that it’s almost a good for me frozen treat if you overlook that whole cup of sugar syrup. At least it isn’t heavy cream, right? Although, I suppose I should confess that I topped my first dish with fudge sauce, caramelized walnuts, and maraschino cherries.

Banana Sorbet
Available in Sally Sampson’s cookbook Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream published by Wiley Press

2 cups pureed overripe bananas
1 cup sugar syrup (Note: Per Sally - Place 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and cook, over medium high heat, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.  Set aside to cool, cover and refrigerate up to 1 month).
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Place the bananas, sugar syrup and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture reaches 40ºF, about two hours.

Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Sally Sampson’s newest cookbook, Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream, is going to get me into a lot of trouble.  Specifically, trouble with buttons not closing, pants not fitting, and no-doubt many a ruined appetite for dinner.  Ice cream is my Achilles heel.  I walk by the neatly frozen pints in the freezer case with a hangdog expression of thinly concealed lust.  I know I shouldn’t have it, but everyone has to break the rules sometime and that’s where SaIly comes in.

I admire the simplicity of this book on so many levels.  Sampson finds no need to wax poetic on the merits of ice cream — we, as her consumers, know that ice cream is phenomenal on an inherently addictive level so on with the show.  And oh what a show it is!  All of the frozen treat bases are covered from custard based ice creams to gellatos, sorbets, and granitas.  If that isn’t enough to peak your interest, how about the thought of one of these tempting flavors waiting for you in a big cold bowl: Graham Cracker Malted Vanilla Ice Cream, Triple Coconut, Molasses Ginger Snap Gelato - do I even need to continue?  Sampson also has a number of unusual flavors to peak your curiosity.  Have you ever wondered what Balsamic and Black Pepper Gelato might taste like?  How about Avocado Gelato?

My first foray into ice cream making was a given. I’m a cookie dough kind of girl.  I was also doubly excited to test out my new KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment and also to have “permission” to make an entire bowl of cookie dough just to snack on.  After whipping up my favorite Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie batter I followed Sally’s straightforward instructions and watched with excitement as ice cream started to take shape on my counter.  To make us all feel slightly better about our new dependency I should point out that the recipes in this book are lower in sugar and fat than most commercially prepared ice creams.

To celebrate the release of Sally’s Sampson’s supremely summer appropriate cookbook, local ice cream legend Gus Rancatore (who also gave Sally ice cream making lessons and advice during the preparation of this collection) will be hosting a book party.

Monday June 16, 2008
6:00PM - 7:30PM
at Toscaninis in Central Square
899 Main Street
Cambridge, MA

So please stop by to meet Sally, get your book signed, and also enjoy a free scoop of ice cream!

Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Available in Sally Sampson’s cookbook Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream published by Wiley Press

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 sugar syrup (Note: Per Sally - Place 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and cook, over medium high heat, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.  Set aside to cool, cover and refrigerate up to 1 month).
1 teaspoon vanilla (Note: I recommend using a really good quality, expensive vanilla. I rather lazily used the McCormicks in my cupboard and I really wish that I had picked up a bottle of Nielsen-Massey.  Next time I definitely will).
1 1/2 cups of your favorite raw cookie dough, such as chocolate chip or oatmeal

Place the milk, cream, sugar syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk well.  Transfer to an ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  When the ice cream is just beginning to come together but has not hardened completely, add spoonfuls of the cookie dough and process for about 5 more minutes.