Upgrade Your Banana Split With Help From Your Deep Fryer

Everyone loves a picture-perfect banana split! The ice cream dish consists of a sliced banana, three scoops of Neapolitan ice cream, various sauces, such as chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple, and a combination of sprinkles, nuts, and maraschino cherries. The result is a tasty ice cream dish that offers an explosion of flavors, colors, and textures. But how can you elevate the beloved sundae? With a handy deep fryer, you can upgrade the classic treat by adding fried ice cream or bananas.

Deep fryers can be used to cook a bunch of unexpected foods, like hot dogs, but deep frying ice cream or bananas is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, both recipes are popular in Asia with the origins of fried ice cream being traced to Japanese restaurants. Meanwhile, fried bananas are a popular treat in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries with fried plantains and banana fritters being popular variations.

In just a few steps you can make the tasty fried treats in your deep fryer — or on your stovetop — to add a more complex taste and texture to the banana split. The fried foods will not only add a delicious crunch to the frozen dessert, but they will also add a melty element since the crispy outer layer of the ice cream or bananas will be warm and toasty.

To make fried ice cream, the frozen dessert needs to be coated with a crumb. You can use crushed cereal, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Corn Flakes, or a more traditional breadcrumb like panko. You can add sugar, cinnamon, or coconut flakes to the mixture for a more complex taste. Roll the ice cream scoops in the crumb and re-freeze. Then repeat the steps, but this time, dip the coated scoop in beaten egg whites before rolling in the crumb. Once coated and refrozen, heat a neutral oil, like vegetable or canola, in a pot on the stove or a deep fryer. Submerge the ice cream scoops for a few seconds until golden brown. The goal is to fry the outside while the inside remains cold.

Making fried bananas requires less prep time as it is less delicate. To start, slice the bananas as desired and make a batter out of flour, sugar, eggs, and other spices. Then, heat oil in a pan or deep fryer. Dip the banana slices into the batter and immerse them in the hot oil for a few minutes before removing and placing on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. The finished product will be crunchy and have a caramelized flavor. Both fried treats should be served immediately, so quickly add the banana split toppings and enjoy.