Remember when your hearing was sharp as kid? The Ice Cream Truck’s jingle was heard 20 blocks away. We were efficient team multi-taskers, too. At that sound, everyone immediately stop playing to run inside their homes to beg the parents for a couple dollars and change. If Mom and Dad said a firm “no,” we proactively broke the piggy bank after climbing on a stool topped with books to get a few dollars and change (When Mom eventually found an empty piggy bank, it wasn’t a good day in our household… pink slips and red bottoms were delegated). Of course, we ran after that truck to loudly communicate for it to slow down. It wasn’t until the truck saw dollar bills in our hands; it would come to a complete stop. We requested our new client for chocolate dipped cones, fruit pops, cherry flavored candies and Orangesicle Ice Cream.

Orangesicle Ice Cream was my least favorite flavor. However, I couldn’t resist making it my next ice cream treat. It’s Valentine’s Day and we’re in the middle of citrus season. I’ve fallen in love with Cara Cara Oranges. Their flesh is pink, and they have a hint of raspberry taste. They’re also less acidic than the other varieties, but still juicy sweet. In New York, they’re available for the winter season.

When making this ice cream flavor, vanilla beans instead of extract are used. Vanilla extract isn’t artificially flavored (Read the fine print instead of the advertisement copy on food labels to review for authentic ingredients), but the bean visually announces it’s rich taste. Tiny specks of orange zest are added for a lingering citrus tang. After all, the commercially made version on a stick is known for it’s artificial coloring and flavoring. This version has a true citrus and vanilla taste without a kid-happy sugar-high.

To make this child-friendly ice cream into a romantic dessert for Valentine’s Day, a rum caramel sauce was drizzled and sliced almonds were sprinkled on top. That was foreplay happy. Then, a roast banana was added to the plate, and the flavors were orgasmically exuberant. Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the black outer peel, because it looks like a bad banana. The Cara Cara Orangesicle Ice Cream, Rum Caramel Sauce and Roast Banana is a seductive dessert.

For Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for the traditional chocolate recipe idea, take a chance to present a Cara Cara Orangesicle Ice Cream and Roast Banana with Rum Caramel Sauce. It’s not chocolate, but the flavor makes you feel like a kid, again… just like falling in love.

Cara Cara Orangesicle Ice Cream

Note: Use any variety of orange, but the juice should equate to 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients
1-cup organic whole milk
A pinch of sea salt
2 eggs
1/2-cup sugar
1 vanilla bean; vertically sliced in half
1-1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (about 4 Cara Cara oranges)
2 cups organic cream
The zest of one cara cara orange

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, simmer milk and salt over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edges. Don’t boil.
2. Place eggs in a large bowl. Working quickly, whisk 1/8-cup of the warm milk into the eggs. Continue adding milk by individual 1/8-cups until the saucepan is empty.
3. Pour milk-egg mixture back into the saucepan. Using the back edge (not the sharp side) of a paring knife, firmly and gently scrape the vanilla beans away from the pod. Add the vanilla beans and their split pod to the milk-egg mixture. Add the cara cara orange juice.
4. Heat milk-egg mixture (the custard) over medium heat. Patiently stir the custard until it starts to thicken. Don’t let it boil, or the custard will curdle. When the back of a spoon has a translucent coating, the custard is ready.
5. Turn off the heat and remove the custard from the stove. Whisk in the cream and cara cara orange zest.
6. Place custard, including the vanilla pods, in a sealed container to chill for a few hours or overnight.
7. Pour custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker. Follow the directions of the manufacture for churning the custard.
8. When the custard resembles soft serve ice cream, scoop into a container and seal tightly. Place in a freezer to harden for a few hours or overnight.
9. Enjoy.

Rum Caramel Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup brown or palm sugar
A dash of sea salt
2 tbsp. dark rum
3 tbsp. filtered water
1/4-cup organic fresh cream

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, bring brown sugar, sea salt, rum and water to a simmer. Add the cream.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk frequently until the sauce starts to thicken. Watch the sauce carefully, because it will boil over quickly.
3. Once the sauce thickens, remove from the stove and let cool.
4. Drizzle on ice cream, cakes and brownies.

Roast Bananas

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place slightly under ripe banana(s) on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 until the skin is black. Remove from the oven and let cool. Vertically cut in half. Place on a plate. Add a scoop of Orangesicle Ice Cream and drizzle with Rum Caramel Sauce. Garnish with toast almond slices.

…
Stay up-to-date with yummy, new food posts from My Life Runs On Food via email. Subscribe today! [subscribe2]