Bananas Foster is as showy as the city of its birth, New Orleans. Remember to use a pan without any coating for this or other flambéed desserts. For a new take on banana cream pie, use these bananas as a layer underneath the vanilla or chocolate cream.
The following may contain affiliate links for which we earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting us in this way!
In a large sauté pan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the banana slices and cook until they’re just turning tender and brown, a couple of minutes per side.
Mix together the rum and vanilla in a small bowl. Remove the bananas from the heat and add the rum mixture. Use a long lighter or match to flambé the bananas by placing the flame inside the outer edge of the pan (see illustration). Keep your face and hands as far away from the pan as possible while lighting; the flame should extinguish within 10 seconds. Toss the bananas in the sauce to coat.
Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowls, then spoon the bananas and sauce over it. Serve immediately.
Apples and Pears Foster A nice combo: Substitute 1 apple and 1 pear, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices. If you like, substitute bourbon for the rum and add 1/2 teaspoon ginger to the butter mixture.
Log in, or become a member today.
Join in: enjoy 7 days free, plus 40% off your first year with access to 1,000+ highly vetted recipes from the How To Cook Everything series and beyond, essays from Mark, and original pieces from our contributors.
Through our (more than a thousand, and growing) highly vetted recipes from the How to Cook Everything series, original food essays and reporting, thoughtful podcast conversations and introductions to new and responsible food products, we aim to showcase what’s possible, from farm to fork, and power a growing movement that encourages people to think about food not as a commodity, but as central to our health and happiness.
We hope you join us on this journey. We’d love to have you as a part of the Bittman community. As a member, you'll have access to:
New recipes every week
1000s of recipes from How to Cook Everything and beyond
First access to in-person events with Mark and Kate
Exclusive discounts from our favorite brands
Q&As with Mark and the team
Subscribe to our free newsletter
Join over 105,000 passionate individuals who receive our weekly emails. It’s 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Plus, we’ll email you a sampling of what premium members receive on a weekly basis.
