Sun Days

As winter gives way to spring, a part of me laments the end of our cold weather and dreads the coming heat. But over the years I have begun to make peace with Apollo, mainly due to a severe vitamin D deficiency. So, much as it pains me, I have allowed the sun to touch my skin! Dracula was out in the sun in the novel, so I guess it’s OK for me too 🙂

One of the things I love most about warm weather is eating ice cream. As a child, I loved ice cream sundaes – especially the maraschino cherries!! I thought I would pay tribute to the sunniest day of the week – Sunday – with a sundae that combines my love of cold, dark winters and my new appreciation of the sun and summer. So I’ve combined a classic winter sticky toffee pudding with a summery banana split.

Sticky Toffee Banana Sundae

Ingredients
for the date ice cream
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
125g dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 litre vanilla ice cream

for the toffee sauce
120g unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup double cream

for serving
2 bananas, thinly sliced
400ml double cream, whipped
maraschino cherries

Method
Bring the sugar, water and butter to a boil in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the dates.
Stirring occasionally, continue to simmer until the dates are mushy and combined. Allow to cool.
Once the dates are cool, remove the ice cream from the freezer and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to soften. Fold the cooled dates into the ice cream and return to the freezer to set.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted turn the heat to medium and add the sugar, salt and cream. Stir continually with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved, being careful not to burn the caramel. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
To serve, line four serving bowls with banana slices. Pour 1/2 of the caramel sauce evenly over the bananas. Top with 3 scoops of ice cream each. Pour the remaining toffee sauce over the ice cream.
Top with whipped cream and a cherry or three!

Try swirling the date mixture through different types of ice cream flavours.