The Salty Grahama

By stancec44

The free-form sundae pairs salty vanilla frozen custard with homemade caramel sauce, graham "gravel" (a streusel made with graham crackers), sliced banana and loads of whipped cream. The base elements can be swapped out with other flavors to create something completely different.

The whiskey in the caramel sauce is optional. But, Britton Bauer warns, never, ever skimp on the whipped cream.

Ingredients

• For the Salty Vanilla Frozen Custard:
• 2 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• For the Whiskey Caramel Sauce:
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• For the Salty Graham Gravel:
• 1 cup finely ground graham cracker
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• For Assembling:
• 1 banana, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• Whipped cream, to serve

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from tastingtable.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Make the salty vanilla frozen custard: Build an ice bath and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the milk, egg yolks and cornstarch; set egg yolk mixture aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, salt and vanilla until smooth and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually ladle the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring to prevent the yolks from curdling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve. Whisk the hot milk mixture and the cream cheese mixture together until smooth. Transfer to a one gallon resealable freezer bag; seal and place in the ice bath until chilled, about 30 minutes.

3. Chill the bowl of your ice cream maker. Pour chilled ice cream mixture into the bowl and follow the manufacturer's instructions to churn the base into a soft-serve ice cream consistency, about 30 minutes.

4. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and press a sheet of parchment directly onto the surface. Cover with lid and freeze until the ice cream is firm, 3 to 4 hours.

5. Meanwhile, make the whiskey caramel sauce: Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer into a medium heavy-bottomed pan and set over medium-high heat. Once a thin layer of sugar begins to melt, use a spatula to fold and stir the melted sugar onto the unmelted sugar. Continue to stir until amber in tone, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the cream. Transfer sauce to a nonreactive bowl and allow to cool slightly before adding the whiskey and salt.

6. Make the salty graham gravel: Preheat oven to 275°. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add the butter and stir, using a large metal spoon, until a few large pieces have formed. Transfer mixture to a baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake the crumb mixture for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and roughly chop the crumbs. Continue baking until the gravel becomes golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

7. To assemble, divide the ice cream between 6 to 8 bowls. Drizzle each bowl with whiskey caramel sauce and top with the salty graham gravel, sliced bananas and a dollop of whip cream.