Avocado Banana Ice Cream

Summer is officially here...and in full force! This is the time of year when my oven takes a hiatus.  Well, if the temperature is above 75 degrees in any season, you won't be seeing many baked treats coming from me.  Living in a top floor apartment with lots of windows can be a blessing and a curse, depending on what time of year it is.  I plan to make this summer all about ice creams, sorbets, ice pops, and any other no-bake treat you can think of.

Summer also means taking advantage of the gorgeous weather out here on Long Island.  My husband and I have been discovering that this island we live on has lots to offer! Which, may seem obvious considering we are surrounded by water - but having lived here most of my life (almost 30 years!) the beaches and state parks kind of get "played out" after a while.  But, I'm realizing that the Long Island I experienced as a child is quite different from what I'm seeing through grown-up eyes - and especially being able to share these places with my city-born-and-raised-hubby.

Last weekend, we took a day trip out to the Hamptons & Montauk to cheer on my brother and sister-in-law in their Ride to Montauk.  On our way out there, the hubs and I made stops at the Westhampton Beach farmer's market, and Tate's Bake Shop in Southampton.  Can you believe it was my first time exploring the Hamptons? On our way home, we had some lobster and crab rolls at a dive aptly named, The Lobster Roll.  One day was certainly not enough to explore the East End... we'll be going back soon. 


Avocado Banana Ice Cream*
This may seem like an odd ice cream flavor, but if you love avocados then you'll know that it has a natural creaminess, which lends itself well to ice cream-making.  If you use a very ripe banana, its flavor will overpower the avocado so no worries about it tasting too avocado-y.  

Yield: about 1 quart

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados (small-medium), peeled and pitted
1 ripe banana, peeled
2 cups half-and-half
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar (to taste, depending on sweetness of banana)
pinch of salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker to churn for 20-25 minutes, according to manufacturer's instructions.  You may also chill the mixture for 1 hour in the refrigerator to allow the ice cream to set up quicker during the churning process.  


For soft ice cream, serve immediately.  For firmer texture, transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 hours.   


Source: Inspired by La Fuji Mama's California Avocado Pops (If you don't have an ice cream maker, see Rachael's recipe for instructions on how to make ice pops!)


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