Apple pie frozen dessert with salted, red miso date caramel

A luxurious breakfast or a light dessert with rich but comforting flavours

Ingredients

For the apple pie syrup
1 cup apple cider
1t fresh ginger, grated and minced
1/4t dried, ground cinnamon (or to taste)

Optional: a pinch dried ground cloves

For the bananas
2 medium frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4t vanilla extract
1t walnuts, finely chopped

Optional: 1t maca powder

For the caramel
1/4 cup soft, dried dates, pitted and chipped
1/2T white pickling vinegar
1/2T red miso
3T warm water
A pinch coarse sea salt

Directions

Start the apple pie syrup, then make the caramel, then the bananas. Whisk the spices with the apple cider. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, reduce the cider mixture to about to 2-3T syrup.

The reduction will take about 20 minutes but depends on the exact amount of heat and the size of the pan. You can stir infrequently while it reduces to about 1/4 cup. At that point, it should start to caramelize. Reduce the heat to low. Stir continuously while it bubbles and remove from heat when you have a thick syrup. Set the syrup aside to cool and make the caramel.

Blend all of the caramel ingredients except the sea salt until smooth. Add the sea salt. Stir to combine. Set aside. Blend the bananas and vanilla until smooth. Add 1t pureed banana to the caramel and stir to combine. Add the maca (if you’ll be using it) and the syrup to the bananas. Blend smooth.

Add 2T caramel to the bananas. Stir to marble the bananas and the caramel. Spoon out to an appropriate dish. Garnish with the rest of the caramel and the walnuts, and serve.