If you've never tasted bananas cooked in a sweet rum sauce and served warm with ice cream, you don't know what you've been missing. If you have, your mouth is probably watering at the prospect of having it again! Either way, these two recipes produce an incredibly delicious dessert you'll want to serve on special occasions.
Classic Bananas Foster Recipe
Contributed by Ann J. MacDonald
This is a very traditional Bananas Foster recipe that includes igniting the rum to burn off the alcohol so only its flavor is left. As a result, you will need a lighter. This recipe yields about four servings, but you can stretch it by putting fewer slices in each dish.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup banana liqueur (such as Bols or DeKuyper banana liqueur)
- 4 bananas, halved and then sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- At least 4 scoops good quality vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a heavy skillet.
- Over low heat, cook until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
- Add the banana liqueur and blend in.
- Place the lengths of banana in the pan and allow them to cook until they soften and begin to turn light brown.
- Add the rum and allow it to cook just until warmed.
- Tilt the pan slightly and use a lighter to ignite the alcohol.
- Once the flames die out, carefully place several banana segments on dishes of ice cream and spoon the warm sauce over the top.
- Serve immediately.
Simple Bananas Foster Recipe
Contributed by Holly Swanson
If you want to make this scrumptious dessert without setting it ablaze, this is the recipe for you. Just be aware that the finished dish will still have some alcohol content. This recipe yields approximately three servings.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 and 1/2 tablespoons rum
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup pecan halves
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Peel bananas and slice each one in half, then split each half into two long pieces. Alternatively, you may wish to cut some in slices for a mix of shapes.
- In a large frying pan over low heat, melt the butter and then add the sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir to mix until it starts to bubble.
- Add the bananas and pecan halves to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Pour over ice cream and serve.
Storage Tips
Unlike many desserts, Bananas Foster is meant to be eaten right after it's made. This means you won't want to store it because it will lose some of its charm after refrigerating. If you find you must store it, put it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat it within two days. You can reheat it in the microwave until it's warm.
Everyone Should Try This Dessert Once
Bananas Foster isn't served as commonly as chocolate layer cake or pumpkin pie with whipped cream, so perhaps you've never had a chance to taste it. If that's the case, you have even more reason to try out one of these recipes and decide whether you've discovered a new favorite.
