Bananas Foster
Classic Bananas Foster: Made in minutes with just a few ingredients! Sweet bananas bathed in warm brown sugar sauce & flambeed for an amazing presentation!
Hey hey, it’s Fat Tuesday today!
I’m sure you already know all about Fat Tuesday, aka: Shrove Tuesday, but if not, it’s the Christian celebration that comes just before Lent. Lent is a 6-week period of preparation and sacrifice leading up to Easter. Many Christians observe by fasting and abstaining from foods that are rich, sweet, and indulgent, as an act of faith.
So naturally the day before this all begins should be a time to celebrate all those yummy things!
Here in Pennsylvania Dutch country, Fat Tuesday goes by the name Fastnacht Day. “Fastnacht” means donut, and I have shared many donut recipes over the years, in honor of this fun holiday. Be sure to check out my chocolate frosted donuts, glazed sour cream donuts, and baked apple cider donuts if you want to celebrate fastnachts today!
But this year, I decided to go in a different direction. Since Fat Tuesday is celebrated in New Orleans in a HUGE way (ever heard of Mardi Gras??), I thought it would be fun to share one of New Orleans’ most famous recipes: Bananas Foster!
WHAT IS BANANAS FOSTER?
Bananas Foster is a simple yet decadent dessert that was invented at the world-famous Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. The name comes from a frequent customer of the restaurant, who’s name was Richard Foster.
It’s basically just bananas cooked in a buttery brown sugar sauce, then flambeed and served warm over vanilla ice cream.
It only takes a few minutes to make, and while the ingredients are few, they come together in the most incredible way. It’s no wonder this dessert has become so iconic!
HOW TO MAKE BANANAS FOSTER
If you’re in search of a quick and easy dessert that will really impress, then look no further. Bananas Foster whips up in a snap, you’ll only dirty one pan, and the presentation is truly spectacular!
Start by warming butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a skillet over low heat.
You may notice I forgot to show the salt going in in the video! Please don’t hold it against me! Making these videos involves a lot of moving parts and I’m doing it all by my lonesome!
Whisk these ingredients together as they cook, until the butter is completely melted and the sugar is dissolved. Be careful to whisk it constantly, and don’t let it get too hot or it could separate.
Next, peel and split the bananas, cut them into big chunks, and add them to the sauce.
Gently fold the bananas into the sauce, taking care not to mash them too much or break them apart.
Allow them to cook for a minute or so, until they become soft and fragrant. The aromas will make you swoon!
HOW TO LIGHT BANANAS FOSTER ON FIRE (FLAMBE)
This step is completely optional, but it will really take your dessert over the top!
To flambe the bananas Foster, first turn off the stove and add in a splash of dark rum.
- Bourbon
- Whiskey
- Brandy
- Banana Liqueur
- Coffee Liqueur, aka: Kahlua
- Hazelnut Liqueur, aka: Frangelico
- Orange Liqueur, aka: Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
All of these would work just as well and the flavors would compliment nicely; it’s just a little twist on tradition!
After adding in the liquor, stand back and carefully use a wand lighter to ignite it.
The alcohol will burn off in a blue flame, which might be kind of hard to see if you don’t turn the lights down really low. If you don’t see it, listen for it. You will probably be able to hear the flame flickering.
Once all the alcohol has burned off and the flame is out, it’s time to serve!
HOW TO SERVE BANANAS FOSTER
The classic way to serve bananas Foster is over vanilla ice cream. The contrast between hot and cold, sweet & creamy and rich & buttery is just out of this world.
Spoon the warm bananas all around the ice cream, then drizzle with sauce.
For a quick & easy homemade vanilla ice cream recipe, click here: No-Churn Ice Cream. For a richer, more traditional slow-churned vanilla ice cream recipe, click here: Vanilla Ice Cream.
- French toast
- Pancakes or Crepes
- Waffles
- Cheesecake
- Bread Pudding
- Oatmeal
IS BANANAS FOSTER GLUTEN-FREE
This dessert is 100% gluten-free and it’s also egg-free, so if you’re thinking about serving it to anyone with food sensitivities, it’s a great choice!
CAN YOU MAKE THIS WITHOUT ALCOHOL?
If you are serving it to children or if you’re pregnant, or if you just want to avoid alcohol for whatever reason, this recipe can definitely be made without the rum. It just won’t flambe, but it will still taste really good!
Just know that when you ignite the bananas Foster, most of the alcohol will burn and evaporate away, and you will just be left with the flavor of the rum, which goes really nicely with bananas and brown sugar.
CAN BANANAS FOSTER BE MADE AHEAD?
This dessert is best served immediately, while the sauce is warm and it can melt and meld with the ice cream.
But in a pinch, you could probably make it ahead and just gently reheat it just before serving.
It will keep in the fridge for a few days.
I would not recommend freezing it.
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Bananas Foster
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 bananas
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) dark rum, (optional)
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large skillet over low heat.
- Whisk together while cooking, until the butter has melted and the sauce is smooth (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Peel, split, and quarter the bananas, and add them to the warm sauce.
- Gently fold the bananas into the sauce, allowing them to cook until softened (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat, add the rum (if using), and light it on fire with a wand lighter (the flame may be difficult to see but you will probably be able to hear it).
- When the flames subside (after a minute or two), spoon the warm bananas and sauce over vanilla ice cream.
- Serve immediately.
This was great! The caramel syrup was not very cohesive at first but once I added a little heavy cream, it made a wonderful sauce. I used caramel flavored vodka in place of the rum.Â
This recipe turned out great! Only thing was, most of us non drinkers found the bite/bitterness of the rum was a little too much. Would reducing the amount of rum help with that? We like the initial rum flavor but there is a strong aftertaste (yes we made sure to cook out all the alcohol)? Any suggestions are welcome
Very happy you were pleased overall. Feel free to adjust the amount of rum to suit your taste. Thanks!
Hi! Just wanted to say low heat was taking forever, 15 minutes plus. Maybe my stove, but I bumped up to medium heat and it got better!
That looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
xoxo, Kirsten | https://hellofromthemiddleofnowhere.blogspot.com