My husband asked me to make Bananas Foster for his birthday recently, and how could I say no! Neither of us is much of a sweets eater, or we like to pretend we’re not, but with Bananas Foster, you make it to order and there are no leftovers! Unlike a cake or pie… and damn it’s good.
The recipe I’ve always used for Bananas Foster, is from the cookbook, American Cooking: Creole and Acadian.
From the book: This elegant dessert of flamed bananas and ice cream, created at Brennan’s over 20 years ago (this book was published in 1971!) for a regular patron named Richard Foster, has become one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
Bananas Foster
printable recipe below
4 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 firm ripe bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/2 cup rum or spiced rum
1 pint good vanilla ice cream
Slice the bananas horizontally so they lay flat.
Combine the butter and brown sugar in a skillet and stir until the mixture becomes a smooth syrup.
Add the bananas and baste them with the syrup for 3 or 4 minutes, then sprinkle in the cinnamon.
Carefully pour in the banana liqueur and rum, and let the liquors warm for a few seconds. They may burst into flame spontaneously. If not, ignite them with a match.
Slide the pan back and forth until the flames die, basting the bananas all the while.
Place two banana halves in each elongated dish. Add a scoop of ice cream to each serving, then spoon the sauce over the top.
Serve at once.
And don’t forget some freshly grated nutmeg.
If you don’t have elongated individual serving dishes, slice the bananas evenly before sautéing, or at least cut them in half crosswise. Then serve in a shallow bowl.
Bananas Foster can also be prepared at the table in a flambé pan, such as a crepes Suzette pan.
Note: The original recipe calls for twice the amount of both rum and banana liqueur. If you enjoy alcoholic desserts, double your liquors!
Bananas Foster
To serve 4
1 pint vanilla ice cream
8 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2″ bits
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 firm ripe bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise into halves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup banana liqueur
1 cup rum
Prepare and assemble the bananas Foster at the dinner table when you are ready to serve them. Light an alcohol burner or table-top stove and set a 12-inch copper flambé or crêpe-suzette pan over the flame. Arrange all the ingredients conveniently beside the pan. Place a scoop of ice cream on each of four chilled individual dessert plates and set them to one side.
Combine the butter and brown sugar in the flambé pan and stir until the mixture becomes a smooth syrup. Add the bananas and baste them with the syrup for 3 or 4 minutes, then sprinkle in the cinnamon.
Carefully pour in the banana liqueur and rum, and let the liquors warm for a few seconds. They may burst into flame spontaneously. If not, ignite them with a match. Slide the pan back and forth until the flames die, basting the bananas all the while. Place two banana halves around each scoop of ice cream, spoon the sauce over the top and serve at once.