Banana Macsplits - Mactweets Challenge #21

Raise your hand if you remember The Banana Splits.

Tra la la, la la la la.

One banana, two banana, three banana, four.

Four bananas make a bunch and so do many more.

Over hill and highway the banana buggies go.

Comin' on to bring you The Banana Splits Show.

I loved them when I was a kid. Bingo (second from left) was my favorite.

The TV show has nothing to do with this post except it came to mind right after this idea for July's Mactweets challenge so I decided to revisit my old childhood friends via You Tube.

And it was fun.

Four banana, three banana, two banana, one.

All bananas playing in the bright warm sun.

Flippin like a pancake, poppin like a cork.

Fleagle, Bingo, Drooper and Snork.

Here's the Macscoop: Those cool, creamy Mactweets mavens, Jamie and Deeba, asked all willing Macnuts out there to come up with a macaron ice cream/sorbet combo. I immediately thought of a banana split. It was one of my favorite summer treats. I can't remember the last time I had one.

My ice cream maker has been going non stop this summer. Inventing new ice cream flavors has bordered on obsession lately. Maybe it has to do with the Auf Wiedersehen I will soon bid my kitchen appliances when we move to NYC the beginning of August. We have a lovely furnished apartment waiting for us but until we are settled in a permanent place and I have a chance to restock my kitchen, there will be no more homemade ice cream experiments for awhile.

A traditional banana split has a scoop each of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. No problem for me and my summer romance with my Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment.

But you all know I just couldn't leave it at that. The ice cream flavors in my Banana Macsplit are:

Dark Chocolate with Pistachio and Caramel Swirls
Vanilla Gooseberry Brittle
Strawberry Milk Chocolate Chip.

The ice cream recipes will be posted over the next weeks.

The Macsplits were completed with drizzled melted Nutella, homemade whipped cream, a scattering of chopped hazelnuts and of course, a cherry on top. I put them together while singing the Banana Splits theme song. They come out extra tasty when you sing the song. Promise.

For the Banana Macaron Shells:

I followed the Tartelette's basic recipe. Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.

Ingredients:

3 egg whites - aged at least 2 days. Let them sit out on the counter uncovered.
25-50 grams of fine granulated sugar
200 grams of powdered sugar (minus 2 tablespoons)
110 Grams of almond flour*
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon banana extract
Yellow food coloring. I used Wilton's Golden Yellow gel paste.

*You can buy almond flour that has been ground with or without the skin. I use the later (blanched). The former looks really nice if you are not coloring the shells. You can also grind your own almond flour by putting whole or sliced almonds in a food processor or blender. If you do, make sure you throw a little of the powdered sugar in to prevent the almonds from forming a paste.

Directions:

Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together or pulse them together briefly in a food processor. Make sure there are no large pieces and set aside.
Whip the egg whites. When they start to get foamy, slowly add the sugar. Continue whipping until you can turn the bowl upside down and nothing slides out. (I also add a pinch each of salt and cream of tartar)
Add the powdered sugar/almond mixture to the egg white mixture and fold, using quick strokes at first then slow down. No more than 50 strokes all together. The batter should have a "flowing like lava" consistency.
Add the banana extract and the food coloring before the last couple of folds.
Fill a Pastry bag and pipe circles (or banana shapes) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a Silpat.
Let the macarons dry for about one hour until they harden.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
I keep the oven door propped open with a dish towel or wooden spoon. Try to refrain from obsessive peeping to see if they get feet.
Let cool completely