It was only a few years ago that I first had Bananas Foster. I'd never heard of it until someone requested it as a special dessert for dinner and so I first made it at home so that I knew what I was doing. It was such a delicious and simple dessert that I immediately fell in love with it. Because of the simplicity of this dessert, I thought it was perfect for my Simple Summer Dessert Series. To me, this is like an adult banana split -- there are bananas, ice cream, sugar, and rum. What else do you need?
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Getting Started
I have found that for bananas foster it is best to use bananas that are slightly under-ripe. They don't need to be completely green, but if they are too soft they will dissolve while being cooked.
To get started, peel the bananas, and cut into quarters. Once that's done put a medium-sized pan on the stove over medium-high heat. This is a good time to make sure you have read my tips on preheating your pan -- getting the heat right is important here.
The Butter
Once the pan has had some time to heat up, about two minutes, add in 1 tablespoon of butter. Let the butter melt and start to foam before you add in the bananas.
Cooking The Banana
Once the butter starts to foam add the bananas into the pan flat side down. Cook for about 1 minute then flip over. You want a nice golden colour on the cut side -- this caramelization is what gives bananas foster that incredible depth of flavour.
Making the Sauce
After the bananas are flipped add in 2 tablespoon brown sugar, cook for about 30 seconds then add in 2 oz of dark or spiced rum. Very carefully use a barbecue lighter to light the rum on fire. Please be careful. Make sure that there is nothing around the pan that is going to catch on fire, including your face. Once the flame burns out, the bananas are ready.
If you'd like you can add a bit of cinnamon into the dessert. It is best to sprinkle the cinnamon over the flames from the rum. This gives the cinnamon a really nice toasted flavour. This technique of cooking with open flame is a fun skill to develop -- if you enjoy it, you might also like my guide to grilling chicken breast where controlled heat is just as important.
Finishing the Dessert
Serve the bananas with vanilla ice cream. That's it -- I told you it was pretty simple. The contrast of the hot, boozy caramel sauce against the cold ice cream is what makes this dessert so special. If you are looking for more easy summer desserts, my Chocolate Pot De Creme is another favourite that takes almost no effort.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Greenish Bananas
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 oz Dark or Spiced Rum
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon Optional
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and cut into quarters.
- Heat a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the butter to the pan and wait for it to start bubbling.
- Add the bananas in and cook for about one minute on the cut side then flip and add in the brown sugar.
- Let cook for about one more minute then add in the rum and cinnamon if you want to use it.
- Carefully light the rum on fire with a barbecue lighter and cook until the flame burns out.
- Once the flame is out, put the bananas and sauce on a plate and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Final thoughts
Bananas foster is one of those desserts I keep coming back to because it takes five minutes, uses ingredients I almost always have on hand, and never fails to impress. If you have never tried making it, I honestly think you will be surprised at how easy and rewarding it is.
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