Banana split board with cherry limeade

If I could have one Oklahoman business open a branch in California, it would be the Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store. They set the standard for my tastebuds when it comes to ice cream sundaes and cherry limeades.

For an upcoming gathering, guests are tasked with providing a themed board. I, of course, am probably overdoing the assignment but I love a fun challenge. The following is what it takes to create a banana split board with cherry limeades. In some instances, I elevated the ingredient, such as roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet and double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream instead of their basic blends. Going for extra wow factor by making my own maraschino cherries, then using the juice as the "cherry" in the limeades.

Banana splits:

• Bananas
• Randy Mill Farms homemade ice cream
• Roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet
• Double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream
• Hot fudge sauce
• Strawberry sauce
• Pineapple sauce (bonus!)
• Marshmallow sauce
• Caramel sauce (another bonus!)
• Toasted almonds
• Whipped cream
• Maraschino cherries

Cherry limeades served with an assortment of vodkas.

Preparation order:

• Maraschino cherries: store up to 3 months
• Marshmallow sauce: store up to 2 months
• Caramel sauce: store up to 3 weeks
• Strawberry sauce: store up to 3 weeks
• Hot fudge sauce: store up to 2 weeks
• Pineapple sauce: store up to 2 weeks
• Randy Mill Farms homemade ice cream: store up to 3 days
• Roasted strawberry-buttermilk sherbet: store up to 3 days
• Double Dutch dark chocolate ice cream: store up to 3 days

Note: This is a progression of my previous Building a better banana split post.

Braum's cherry limeade

Active: 5 minutes; Total: 5 minutes; Yield: 1 drink/2 gallons

	Single serving	2-gallon batch
Lime, rinsed, rolled on counter, cut in half	1 + Garnish slice	30
Sweet cherry juice concentrate or maraschino cherry juice	2 tablespoons	24 ounces
Simple syrup	2 tablespoons	24 ounces
Ice
Club soda	½ cup	4 liters
Maraschino cherry	Garnish

1. Squeeze the lime halves into a glass, and drop in the limes. 
2. Add simple syrup and cherry juice; shake to combine. 
3. Add ice, and top with soda. 
4. Garnish with cherry and lime slice.

Note: For larger batches using the beverage dispenser, wash and freeze limes and cherries use as ice cubes.

Maraschino cherries

Active: 25 minutes; Total: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 2 cups

Cherries, rinsed, pitted	¾ pound
Cherry liqueur, such as Luxardo maraschino liqueur	1 cup
Cherry juice, tart	3 tablespoons
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cherry liqueur, sugar, and cherry juice. 
2. Stir to dissolve the sugar. 
3. When it just begins to simmer, remove from the heat. 
4. Add the cherries, and let cool to room temperature. 
5. Store the cherries and the juice in a lidded glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.  

Recipe from sidewalkshoes.com.

Pork chops with cherry-miso mostarda

Oil, canola	1 tablespoon +
Shallot, minced	1
Garlic, minced	5 cloves
Cherries, sour, dried	1 cup
Sugar, light brown	¼ cup
Vinegar, rice	¼ cup
Miso, white	2 tablespoons
Mustard, whole-grain	1 ½ tablespoons
Water	½ cup
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Pork chops, bone-in, 1 ¼-inches thick	4

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1-tablespoon oil. 
2. Add the shallot and garlic; cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add the cherries, sugar, vinegar, miso, mustard, and water; bring to a boil. 
4. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are coated in a sauce, about 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 
5. Scrape into a bowl, and let cool; stir in a little water if it gets too thick. 
6. Heat a large cast-iron skillet. 
7. Brush the pork with oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. 
8. Add the pork to the skillet, and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in each piece near the bone registers 135F, about 12 to 15 minutes. 
9. Transfer the pork to plates or a platter, and let rest for 5 minutes. 
10. Serve with the mostarda. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, April 2017.

Building a better banana split

Strawberries, rinsed, hulled, coarsely chopped	1 pint
Cream, heavy	1 pint + 2/3 cup + ½ cup
Half-n-half	1 ½ pints
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Sugar, granulated	1 ½ cups + 1/3 cup
Flour	1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Cocoa powder, Dutch processed	1 tablespoon + ¼ cup
Sugar, dark brown	¼ cup + 2/3 cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon
Corn syrup	¼ cup + ½ cup
Pineapple, fresh, finely chopped	2 cups
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Chocolate, bittersweet, chopped	3 ounces + 3 ounces
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Almonds, chopped, toasted	½ cup
Banana, peeled, split in half lengthwise	1 large
Cherries, maraschino	2

1. Set aside about one-third of the chopped strawberries. 
2. Combine the remaining strawberries and 1/3-cup sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. 
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. 
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved strawberries and 1-teaspoon vanilla. 
5. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature; store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 
6. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 1 ½-cups sugar, flour, and 1-teaspoon vanilla until creamy; add 1-pint cream and half-n-half. 
7. Divide the custard equally into three smaller bowls. 
8. Cover one bowl of plain vanilla with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. 
9. In one bowl, whisk in 1-tablespoon cocoa powder; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
10. In the last bowl, whisk in 1-cup of the strawberry sauce; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
11. Pour the vanilla custard into your favorite ice cream making machine and churn into a frozen confection, following the manufacture’s instructions; store overnight in an airtight container to make the ice cream freeze harder. 
12. Repeat with the chocolate and strawberry custards, cleaning between batches. 
13. Meanwhile, make the pineapple sauce by combining the 1/3-cup dark brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a saucepan. 
14. Stir in ¼-cup corn syrup and pineapple. 
15. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
16. Cook until it starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
17. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice. 
18. Cool completely before using; store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. 
19. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 2/3-cup cream, ½-cup corn syrup, 1/3-cup brown sugar, ¼-cup cocoa powder, salt, and 3-ounces chocolate to a boil. 
20. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
21. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate, butter, and 1-teaspoon vanilla, stirring until smooth. 
22. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before using; store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until its pourable but still thick. 
23. Whip ½-cup cream until stiff peaks form; spoon into a pastry bag that has a star tip attached, and chill until needed. 
24. Place the banana in a long boat dish. 
25. Place a large scoop of chocolate ice cream between the split banana in the center of the dish. 
26. Add an equally large scoop of vanilla and strawberry ice cream on either side of the chocolate. 
27. Spoon the pineapple sauce over the vanilla ice cream. 
28. Spoon the strawberry sauce over the strawberry ice cream. 
29. Pour the hot fudge over the chocolate ice cream. 
30. Generously pipe two large blobs of whipped cream between the ice cream scoops, and sprinkle with toasted almonds. 
31. Top the cream blobs with cherries.