Recipe: Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Sundae with Banana Caramel Sauce

I made a dessert with pecans and caramel that offers flavors reminiscent of the luscious pralines found in New Orleans; with banana slices and a hint of rum, it’s also an homage to that city’s beloved Bananas Foster.

Ingredients

• 9 caramel-flavored mini rice cakes
• 6 small sugar cookies
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cups butter pecan ice cream
• 6 ounces caramel ice cream sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon dark rum or rum extract
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• 4 waffle cone bowls
• whipped cream

Place a sheet of waxed paper on the bottom of an 8x8-inch freezer-safe dish.

Place the rice cakes and sugar cookies into a food processor or blender; grind into fine crumbs and place into a flat bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Form fiour 1-cup balls of ice cream. One by one, roll the ice cream in the cookie crumbs, coating the ice cream very well; place onto the waxed paper in the dish. Place the dish with the ice cream balls into the freezer for 1 hour to firm them.

Place the ice cream sauce, rum and bananas into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, just until boiling.

Place a waffle cone bowl onto each of 4 dessert plates. Place 1 ice cream ball into each bowl. Divide the bananas among the bowls, drizzling with caramel sauce. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

This recipe was written by Mary Bilyeu and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Jan. 3, 2012.