Banana Pudding Ice Cream

For a continuation of my South of Broad post, I was going to make Benne Wafers for today.  But it was too hot, so I turned to another Lee Brothers recipe for Banana Pudding  Ice Cream, which better suited the weather.  This is from the Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook.  This pair of bespectacled hiptser brothers are from Charleston, and they are also alumns of my alma mater - Amherst College.   This is a great cookbook, and this ice cream recipe was super easy and delivers big time flavor wise.  Cooking the bananas in brown sugar and rum give it a real depth of flavor - almost a burnt sugar type of thing.  I used fancy Whole Foods Vanilla Wafers, next time I would switch to the Nabisco kind cause they are more sturdy and have that special flavor.  Next week I will be reviewing the great spy novel - "The Tourist,"  which has presented a real challenge to come up with a recipe for.   For the Banana Pudding Ice Cream recipe, keep reading.
Banana Pudding Ice Cream
Adapted from The Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, sliced in half crosswise and lengthwise
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream (I used light cream)
10-15 vanilla wafers chopped, plus some more for serving

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until frothy.  Add the brown sugar and spread it with a wooden spoon.  Saute the sugar unilt it becomes a flat, bubbling mass, about 1 and half minutes.

Add the bananas and stir, turning them in sugar for about 1 and 1/2 minutes, until they are well coated and softening.  Pour the rum over the contents of the skillet (it will hiss and pop, let it but step away!)  Let it cook for a minute or two and then transfer to a food processor or blender.  It is important to let the alcohol burn off, otherwise the ice cream won't freeze.

 In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a whisk, then add the sugar and beat for a couple minutes until the mixture is a light yellow color.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat, stirring, until candy thermometer reads 150 degrees.  Don't let milk come to a boil.  Pour about 1/2 cup of hot milk into banana mixture.  Puree the bananas till smooth.  Reserve and let cool.

Add the remaining hot milk to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk till combined.  Transfer to a double boiler and cook over medium heat till custard thickens, coats a back of a spoon, and reaches 170 degrees on a candy thermometer - about 8-10 minutes.  Turn off the heat, add the banana puree and whisk till combined.  Let cool to room temperature, then whisk in the cream.   Transfer to a container and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. 

Pour custard into ice cream maker and churn according to the maker's instructions.  I churned mine for about 18 minutes.  It should be the consistency of a very thick milk shake.  Transfer a bowl and mix in the cookies.  Then transfer to a container with tight lid and put in the freezer.  Freeze till hardened, about 2 hours.