2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu Banana Crepes w/'Ulu Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

 

For a different twist, this year another dimension was added to the Breadfruit Fest... It was called 'The Breadfruit Fest Goes Bananas' and bananas of all types were brought in to introduce to the attendees.  Some were familiar and some were completely new to me.

 

Photo: a huge rack of Cuban Red bananas

 

Photo: to show the size of this rack in its proper perspective I had my son Anthony stand behind it!  

They are smaller in size than the common Cavendish banana and have a creamy white to pink flesh, with a slight raspberry flavor. They can be sliced and dried or eaten raw in salads, but are usually eaten fresh out of hand.  The redder the fruit, the more carotene it contains. They also have more vitamin C than the yellow variety. A good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Eat one a day, it contains 8 amino-acids your body cannot produce by itself (*)

Photo: Cuban Red banana rack hanging from a bamboo pole teepee frame

In one area of the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Gardens, the location where the festival is held, several bamboo pole teepee frames were built and banana racks were hung from them for display during the event and later for sale.

 

First Place winner in the "Going Bananas" Category was a delicious dessert by Dana Shapiro of Honoka’a

‘Ulu Banana Crepes with ‘Ulu Chunky Monkey  Ice Cream 

 

Ice cream:

1-1/4 cup 'ulu, boiled and mashed

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoons white honey

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 apple banana, sliced

1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces, chopped roughly

2 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

 

Crepes:

2/3 cup mashed 'ulu (or use leftover pulp from making ice cream!)

1-1/2 cups flour

2-1/2 cups milk

4 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Butter or oil for frying

Sliced apple bananas for filling

 

Ice cream:

Using an electric mixer, beat 'ulu with 1/4 cup cream until well combined and set aside.

Beat eggs and honey until thick and pale yellow.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring milk and 1/2 cup cream to a simmer, and add to the egg mixture keeping the mixer on low speed.

Return milk-egg mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until custard forms.

Beat custard into 'ulu mixture, and sieve through a fine strainer to remove lumps. Retain pulp for making ice cream – you should have about 2/3 cup.

Stir remaining 3/4 cup cream and vanilla into 'ulu custard and refrigerate until cold.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. When ice cream begins to thicken, add sliced bananas, chocolate chunks, and peanut butter. Continue freezing until ice cream reaches desired consistency.

Crepes:

Combine all ingredients ina a blender and refrigerate batter for at least 30 minutes.

Heat pan over medium-high heat and brush with a little butter or oil.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of batter into the pan, remove pan from heat and swirl until batter boats the bottom.

Return pan to burner and cook until edges turn golden brown.

Flip crepe and cook on second side for 15 seconds.

Repeat the procedure, buttering pan as necessary, until all batter is used up.  Store crepes between layers of wax paper until ready to serve.

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To serve, place layer of sliced apple bananas over half the crepe, fold once (creating a semi-circle) and fold in half again to form a triangular shape.

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Notes:

Serve the 'ulu banana crepes with 'ulu chucky monkey ice cream for a fabulous, impressive dessert, or try them with fresh yogurt for a healthy and delicious breakfast!

(*) From Melissa's Produce pages

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For more of my posts and recipes from the 2012 Breadfruit Festival, click on the following links:

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2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu Banana Fruit Tarts w/ Mango & Ohelo Berries

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2012 Breadfruit Festival Goes Bananas - 'Ulu (Breadfruit) Gnocchi with Hamakua Mushroom Ragout