Banana Sundaes with New Mexican Chocolate Sauce
(featured in The Oregonian, September 28, 2003)
What’s America’s most decadent dessert? Strawberry shortcake? Coconut cream pie? Steve Raichlen’s vote goes to the hot fudge sundae. Drowning in hot chocolate sauce and snowy with whipped cream, the sundae stands as a monument to the spirit of excess. It’s about to get a lot more decadent with the addition of smokily grilled bananas and a cinnamon-scented New Mexican chocolate sauce spiked with chile powder. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe—it’s really just a set of simple steps, many of which can be done ahead of time.
Serves 6
Method:
Direct grilling
For the Spiced Sugar:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
For the Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ancho or other pure chile powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving:
2 pints vanilla ice cream
6 large bananas
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
Make the Spice Sugar: Combine the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cloves in a small shallow bowl and stir to mix. Set the spiced sugar aside.
Make the Whipped Cream: Place the cream in a chilled mixer bowl or in a large metal bowl. Beat until soft peaks form, starting on the slow speed and gradually increasing the speed to high. The total beating time will be 5 to 8 minutes. When soft peaks have formed, add the confectioners’ sugar, rum, and vanilla. Continue beating the cream until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes longer, but don’t overbeat or it will start to turn to butter. Keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use.
Make the Chocolate Sauce: Combine the cream, chocolate, cinnamon, chile powder and vanilla, in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over barely simmering water. Stir frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Don’t let the sauce boil or you will burn the chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Keep the chocolate sauce warm or reheat it just before serving.
Scoop balls of ice cream into 6 bowls and place them in the freezer. The recipe can be prepared to this stage several hours ahead.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high (you need a really hot grill to caramelize sugar; preheat the grill, then preheat it some more before adding the bananas).
Meanwhile, peel the bananas and slice each in half sharply on the diagonal. (This method of slicing maximizes the sugar area exposed to the fire.) Dip each banana slice in the spiced sugar, shaking off the excess.
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the banana slices on the hot grate and grill them until caramelized (darkly browned), on all sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side (6 to 12 minutes in all).
Lean the grilled banana slices upright on top of the ice cream in each bowl. Spoon the warm chocolate sauce over the top. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top and sprinkle with the almonds. Serve at once.
From Steven Raichlen, “BBQ USA,” (Workman, 2003, $19.95 paperback)