Bananas Foster Flambé
Once everybody thought they couldn’t eat any more at my Foodbuzz 24×24, I made dessert. I was really excited about this dessert because I have never lit anything on fire in my kitchen (on purpose). Even though it was hot, and even hotter in the kitchen with the stove on, I sucked it up and got my rum and lighter ready for the bananas foster flambé .
This dessert is actually really simple, even though it may sound intimidating. The sugar is reduced into a dark syrup and coats the bananas. Adding the rum and igniting it gives a bit of a crisp texture to the bananas as well as a hint of rum flavor. I served the bananas flambé with a homemade vanilla black pepper frozen yogurt. Man was that a task in my hot house! I had to put the ice cream maker in the basement because it was too hot in the kitchen for it to freeze, but of course it ended up being too hot down there too! I resorted to just sticking it in the freezer last minute to get it to solidify.
Bananas Foster Flambé Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 stick
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 firm, ripe bananas peeled, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise
- 1/4 cup dark rum
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest, then stir to dissolve the sugar (about 1 minute). NOTE: If the heat is too high, the butter and sugar will separate instead of combining to form a sauce.
- Add the bananas and spoon sauce over each piece. Cook until the bananas are glossy and golden on the bottom (about 1-2 minutes), then flip the bananas and continue cooking until very soft but not falling apart (about 1-2 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat and turn off the burner.
- Add the rum and wait until the rum has warmed slightly, about 5 seconds. Wave a lit match over the pan until the rum ignites, shaking the pan to distribute the flame evenly.
- When the flames die out, divide the bananas and sauce among the four bowls of ice cream to serve.
I’m not sure whether or not you have a gas range, but lighting your rum with a match is unnecessary if you do. I make bananas foster nearly on a daily basis, and also find that keeping your heat at a medium-low eliminates the process of melting your butter first. You can simply throw your butter and brown sugar in at once and melt the two together. At this point, I increase my heat and add my bananas. I let it sit for a moment until the mixture begins to boil, at which point, I remove my pan from the heat and flame, add my rum, and replace it over heat. If your heat is high enough (given that you have a gas stove), your rum should ignite all on its own in a matter of seconds. 🙂
Good to know! That was my first time making them.