Gordon Ramsay's Banana Ice Cream Only Has One Ingredient

Ice cream feels like one of those desserts best left to the pros. Between special machines, hours of churning, and recipes packed with sugar and cream, it often seems easier to grab a pint from the store (even Ina Garten can't resist a good store-bought ice cream). But Gordon Ramsay has a trick that proves homemade ice cream can be both effortless and indulgent, and it only takes one ingredient: bananas.

Bananas are one of the most versatile fruits in the kitchen. They can be baked into bread, blended, caramelized in a skillet, or frozen. And, as it turns out, they can even transform into a creamy, ice-cream-like treat with almost no effort. To try it, simply slice four bananas and freeze them in a container until solid. Be sure to use ripe or even overripe bananas to achieve more natural sweetness, perfect for an ice cream. Bananas still green? Luckily, there's an easy way to ripen bananas in a pinch. 

Once your banana slices are frozen, blitz them in a food processor or blender until smooth and velvety. That's it — you've got ice cream. For a soft-serve consistency, eat immediately, or freeze the mixture for another hour for a scoopable consistency.

The best part about ice cream is that there's a flavor for everyone. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with double-chocolate chunk caramel swirl, using fresh fruits for ice cream or sorbets is a great way to use up extra summer fruit sitting on your counter. Thanks to the natural sugars in fruit, they make for a great sweet treat on their own. 

Not into bananas? Peaches, mangoes, and frozen grapesalso make an easy sorbet with their natural sugars. Strawberries and pineapple make bright, refreshing bases, and stone fruits like plums or apricots are great options when they're at peak ripeness. Or, take a different route by making a three-ingredient sorbet that spotlights lemon, along with other fresh fruit and maple syrup. If you want a little extra creaminess, blend your fruit with a splash of coconut milk or a dollop of Greek yogurt. You can even freeze the mixture into popsicle molds for an easy grab-and-go treat.

Of course, if you do stick with bananas, the fun is in the mix-ins. A splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt will deepen the flavor, while a spoonful of peanut butter makes it rich and nutty. Chocolate chunks or a swirl of Nutella turn it into a decadent dessert, and crumbled vanilla wafers transform it into a frozen twist on banana pudding.