Electrolux#splits: A Sunny Summer Banana Split

Foodbuzz recently posted a challenge and Top 9 takeover centered around banana splits. Their goal is to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). All Featured Publishers were asked to create a post based on the same theme; since we're all food bloggers, the theme is, of course, food related. The theme for OCRF is banana splits!

So here we are, all creating banana splits for OCRF and the Top 9 takeover which will feature nine banana split posts. Foodbuzz will also donate $50 to OCRF for every banana split that is posted before 12:00pm tonight by a Featured Publisher. This is so great!

Kelly Ripa and Electrolux has a website: http://www.kelly-confidential.com/foodbuzz dedicated to OCRF that is centered around creating the ultimate banana split. For each split made, Electrolux will donate $1 toward OCRF. So get out there and make your splits!

For now, here is mine... I wanted to do something a little different and fun. It was so neat looking, I think I am going to make them for a dessert sometime soon! The goal was that I would, of course, make the split and then Noodle would help me eat it. In reality, apparently my child is from another planet or something because he 'didn't want' to have any... what?? Now that's just plain weird.

So all day I have had banana split ideas swirling in my head... how to make it different, make it really fun, it's got to have flavor, do I stray from the 'norm' in the ice cream department... lots of ideas. I definitely knew though, that I wanted to dip the banana in the chocolate vs drizzling the chocolate on top. Then I thought it would be fun to roll it in crushed up sugar cone, for a crunch. The fresh raspberry puree just happened to be in my refrigerator from my summer beverage extravaganza (post coming soon) so I knew I couldn't leave that out. The ice cream, oh the ice cream... what a pain in the rear!

So here it is ladies and gentlemen, my fantastical sunny summer banana split...

Need: (I'm going to make everything generic because there are so many brands. Should you choose, I can provide a list of the specific brands I used. Also, the ice cream was dairy free!)

2 sugar cones

Hot fudge... the kind you use for ice cream

1 large firm banana... I.... nevermind.

• Vanilla ice cream
• Chocolate ice cream
• Strawberry ice cream
• Caramel sauce
• Fresh raspberry puree (or a bunch of raspberries and then puree them)
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Do:

Put the two sugar cones in the food processor and pulse until crushed. Note: don't crush them so much that they become 'meal'... you want a little crunch and differentiation. When blended, pour out onto a plate.

Pour your chocolate fudge onto a plate. Put that plate next to the crushed sugar cone plate.

Peel banana, peel peel banana... (had to pay homage to Mrs. Thompson :)) then cut the banana in half length wise. Cut each of your two halves at an angle two times, creating six pointed pieces about 2 1/2 inches long.

Get your 'presentation' plate out and put that near your chocolate and cone... think assembly line. One at a time, take your pieces of banana and dip the flat bottom into the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to go up the sides... you want a fairly generous amount.

Gently remove your chocolate bottomed banana from the chocolate plate (use a spoon to help) and transfer to the sugar cookie plate. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered... up the sides too, but leave the top 'naked'.

Repeat for all banana pieces. Note: this is messy... I would have gotten some pictures but I was working solo.

As you complete each piece, arrange on your presentation plate in a circular pattern. When finished, use a cloth to wipe the extra crumbs and/or other whatnot off your plate.

When your banana is arranged, scoop one very small scoops of each flavor ice cream in a triangular pattern. I used a melon baller. On top of those scoops, scoop another. Note: for some reason my ice cream was quite soft when I pulled it out of the freezer, plus it's really hot here so it was melting crazy fast.

On top of the ice cream, drizzle a little caramel sauce, bringing it out on the plate between each banana piece. On top of that, spoon out the raspberry puree on top. You will also want to put a little dollop of raspberry puree on top of the ice cream.

On top of the raspberry puree that is on your ice cream, finish your masterpiece with a fresh raspberry!

Serve:

Get a spoon and go to town!