Creamy Banana-Coconut Sorbet with Almond Crumble (Sweet Blog)

If you don't have frozen bananas already: peel very ripe bananas (with brown spots on the skin), slice them into pieces about 1–1.5 cm thick, and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. If the bananas are already frozen, take them out 5–10 minutes before blending to soften slightly - they should be very cold but not permanently solid.

In the blender jar, place the frozen banana slices (480 g), pour in 100 ml of coconut milk (half of the specified amount), add lemon juice (30 ml) and vanilla extract (5 g). Close the blender and blend on high speed for 30–90 seconds in pulse mode: stop blending, scrape the mixture from the walls with a spatula, and continue until the mixture reaches a thick, creamy "soft-serve" consistency (it should be thick, cold, and hold its shape on a spoon).

Taste the mixture. If you want a sweeter dessert, add honey (30 g) now — pour it in slowly and blend briefly again (10–15 seconds). If the mixture is too thick and the blender is struggling, add the second half of the coconut milk (remaining 100 ml), tablespoon by tablespoon, until you achieve the desired consistency.

If you don't have an ice cream maker: transfer the creamy mixture to a flat metal or glass container (preferably with a wide bottom, such as a loaf pan or a shallow baking dish), smooth the surface with a spatula, and place it in the freezer for 1–2 hours. After 45–60 minutes, take it out when the edges start to harden and the center is soft — break up the crystallized surface with a fork or briefly blend with an immersion blender to regain a creamy consistency. Repeat this process 1–2 times until the sorbet is smooth and slightly whipped.

If you have an ice cream maker: transfer the chilled mixture to the machine's bowl according to the manufacturer's instructions and churn for 20–30 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy and creamy. After churning, you can serve it immediately or transfer it to a container and chill in the freezer for 30–60 minutes for firmer scoops.

In a medium-sized dry skillet (preferably non-stick), heat the almonds (50 g) over medium heat. Toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they start to smell fragrant and are golden-brown at the edges. Remove from heat, transfer to a cutting board, and chop with a knife into coarser crumbs. If you want a sweeter and stickier crumble, add a tablespoon of honey directly to the skillet for 30 seconds, quickly mix with the almonds, and spread out to cool — the honey will caramelize the surface.

Take the sorbet out of the freezer 5 minutes before serving (it should be easy to scoop). Use a metal ice cream scoop briefly dipped in hot water and scoop portions of sorbet — they should have a nice, creamy shape. For each bowl, add 2–3 scoops of sorbet, sprinkle with a tablespoon of toasted almonds (optional), and garnish with 2–3 fresh mint leaves.

Variations: for the chocolate version, add 10–15 g of cocoa powder while blending. For the tropical version, add 100 g of frozen mango (reduce the amount of bananas by the same weight). If you want a smoother texture, chill the sorbet in the freezer for 30–60 minutes in an airtight container after the final blending.