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Classic Restaurant-Style Bananas Foster with Rum Flambé

Close-up of caramelized bananas in rich sauce served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, classic Bananas Foster.
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Make this classic New Orleans dessert, Bananas Foster, at home. You will caramelize ripe bananas in a rich, buttery sauce made with brown sugar and rum, then serve it warm over vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

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  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 firm, ripe bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup banana liqueur (optional)
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

  1. Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Let the butter melt completely.
  2. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to the melted butter. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. This creates your buttery rum sauce base.
  3. Add the sliced bananas to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for about 1 minute per side until the bananas are slightly softened and coated in the sauce.
  4. If using banana liqueur, pour it into the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring gently.
  5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully pour the dark rum into the skillet. Immediately tilt the skillet toward the flame of your gas burner or use a long match to ignite the rum. Stand back while the alcohol burns off.
  6. Once the flames subside, gently toss the bananas to coat them completely in the sauce.
  7. Serve the warm Bananas Foster immediately over scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. This is the best bananas foster recipe for an indulgent banana dessert topping for ice cream.

Notes

  • If you prefer an alcohol-free bananas foster, skip the liqueurs and rum. Instead, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of banana extract to the sauce after removing the skillet from the heat, just before serving.
  • Use firm, slightly underripe bananas; overly ripe bananas will turn mushy when cooked.
  • For a crisp variation, layer the caramelized bananas and sauce in a baking dish and top with a simple oat crisp topping before baking until golden.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mistyplate.com/bananas-foster-recipe-classic-new-orleans-dessert/