The Ultimate Banana Split

I think it's safe to say that the banana split is the mother of all ice cream sundaes. As if I wasn't crazy enough about bananas, peanut butter and chocolate, I have now put them into one monstrous ice cream sundae. I love that Foodbuzz is doing a banana split challenge in the first place, but even better, they are donating money to charity for each post submitted. Uh, hello? Doing what we all do anyways and having it go to something other than our waistline, count me in.

"Foodbuzz will also donate* $50 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for every Banana Split post by a Featured Publisher created & uploaded to Foodbuzz before 12PM PST on Friday, July 16th."

For all of you featured publishers who have not yet entered, now is your chance! 

So, how do you do a banana split? There's the question. Everyone likes a little something different. For example, Paula Deen has pineapple juice in a number of her banana split recipes (eck.). It's also supposed to have a perfectly red marachino cherry on top and whipped cream. But aside from banana/chocolate and strawberry/chocolate, I don't do fruit and cream mixtures. I didn't end up adding whipped cream, though I am sure it would've been great. I honestly just didn't have room for it. I decided for this banana split I would pile on as many of my favorite things as possible, and even try a few new things while doing it.

So here it is, my banana split sundae deconstructed.

It starts out with one and a half bananas. The first I sliced lengthwise and placed it in the dish, wrapping it around the edges. In the middle of the bananas I put three large scoops of homemade chocolate ice cream (which I'll get to in a little bit). Next, I melted peanut butter with a half tablespoon or so of butter and drizzled it over the top. I know, peanut butter is fattening enough as is, and now I'm adding butter? Hush. Banana splits are not a sundae to think about nutrition with. Actually, no sundae is a sundae to think about nutrition with. Moving right along, I added two arlettes to each side of the sundae. I found the arlette's recipe in Sherry Yard's Dessert's by the Yard (amazing book for those of you who haven't read it) and decided these crispy little cookies would be perfect. They taste exactly like palmiers (or elephant ears as I always called them). For the final touches I sliced up the half of banana and put three slices on top. The remainder can be placed into any spot looking a little bare, and finally, I sprinkled mini semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.

The result: heaven.

I encourage everyone to play around with your food and make the banana split of your dreams. I don't really think anything is off limits as far as banana splits go. Throw on whatever. And, most importantly, take the guilt factor out of your brain for one day and eat up!

Arlettes

Recipe from Desserts by the Yard

1 8x6 or 8x8-inch sheet all-butter puff pastry. 1/8-inch thick, chilled

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar

1. Place the sheet of puff pastry on a work surface and brush with the beaten egg white. Dist evenly with granulated sugar. Roll up the dough lengthwise (starting with the 6-inch side if working with a rectangle) very tightly, like a jelly roll, and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, until firm or overnight. 

2. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees, Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the rolled-up puff pastry and cut into very thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Place the slices on the baking sheet and return to the freezer. Chill for 15 minutes.

3. Place the confectioners sugar in a bowl and use some of it to dist your work surface. Dip a pastry disk into the confectioners' sugar and roll out into an oval shape, pressing down firmly with your rolling pin. Flip the disk and roll out again to a paper-thin 4-inch-long oval. Place on he parchment-lined baking sheet, and when the tray is filled, place a second piece of parchment over the arlettes.

4. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to look golden. Remove the pan from the oven, lift off the top parchment and discard, and using a metal spatula, flip over each arlette. Rotate the pan from front to back, return to the oven, and bake for another 6 minutes, or until the arlettes are a deep golden color. Remove from the oven and slip the parchment off the baking sheets onto a rack to cool the cookies. (These arlettes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

See chocolate ice cream recipe here