Step 1

Make the caramel sauce: Heat a small, dry stainless steel skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle in some of the sugar and watch for it to melt, then sprinkle in more. When all of the sugar is added, decrease the heat to medium, add the salt and stir until the caramel turns the color of a penny. This could happen in less than 1 minute, or it could take a few minutes. Turn off the heat. If any sugar clumps together, break it up with a spoon.

Step 2

Carefully whisk in the cream; the mixture will sizzle and spatter; take care not to let it splatter onto your skin. If the sugar seizes, turn the heat back to low and cook, whisking, until the sugar melts again and the caramel is smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 3

Pour the caramel into a heat-safe container, cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Step 4

Make the crust: Butter a 9-inch regular or deep-dish pie plate.

Step 5

In a food processor, grind the pretzels until almost fine, leaving a few small bits for texture. (Alternatively, place the pretzels in a zip-top plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) Stir in the sugar, then the butter and combine thoroughly. The mixture should look like wet sand.

Step 6

Transfer the crust mixture into the pie plate and, using your fingers, press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Transfer the plate to the freezer and let it chill while you prepare the pie, for at least 10 minutes or, covered, for as long as 1 week.

Step 7

Assemble the pie: Let the chocolate ice cream soften on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Step 8

Remove the crust from the freezer. Peel 1 banana and slice it into 1/3-inch rounds. Lay the banana slices evenly over the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Step 9

Working quickly, use a spoon and/or a small spatula to spread the chocolate ice cream evenly over the bananas, smoothing it out as you go. Return the pie to the freezer for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate layer is almost solid. Remove the strawberry ice cream from the freezer and let it soften on the counter while the pie chills.

Step 10

Remove the pie from the freezer and, working quickly, scoop the strawberry ice cream over the chocolate layer, smoothing it out as you go. Return the pie to the freezer for about 10 minutes, or until the strawberry layer is almost solid. Remove the vanilla ice cream from the freezer and let it soften on the counter while the pie chills.

Step 11

Remove the pie from the freezer and, working quickly, scoop the vanilla ice cream over the strawberry layer, smoothing it out as you go. Return the pie to the freezer for about 10 minutes, or until the vanilla layer is almost solid; if making in advance, tightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight until ready to serve.

Step 12

Use a well-chilled medium bowl and whisk, or a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, to whip the cream just until fluffy and stiff peaks hold. (Whipping by hand will take longer than with a mixer.) If making the whipped cream in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (You may need to rewhip.)

Step 13

In a small bowl, stir the strawberry jam with 1 tablespoon warm water until thin enough to drizzle; strain. If making in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 14

Peel the remaining banana and slice it as the first. Pull the pie out of the freezer and top with the banana slices. Sprinkle or brush with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Top with the whipped cream and drizzle with the strawberry and caramel sauces.

Step 15

Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of dark chocolate on top and sprinkle with the nuts, if using, maraschino cherries and fresh cherries, if using.

Step 16

Dip the pie plate into a shallow pool of warm water to help loosen the crust. Slice and serve right away, with extra sauce on the side. (To get cleaner slices, dip the knife in hot or warm water and wipe dry with a towel between slices.)