Bananas Foster

Bananas foster is an easy dessert designed to impress and entertain! Coat the fruit in a cinnamon caramel sauce, then flambé with rum to caramelize the ingredients. Pair with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve.

Next to gumbo, bananas foster is one of my favorite things to order when visiting New Orleans. It’s a simple combination of firm, yet ripe bananas, glazed with a brown sugar rum sauce. The trickiest part is igniting the alcohol, but don’t worry. I’ll show you the step-by-step process of mastering the flambé technique.

What is bananas foster?

This dessert was made famous in 1951 at the iconic French Creole restaurant Brennen’s, by Chef Paul Blangé. He named his creation after Richard Foster, the New Orleans Crime Commission chairman, a loyal patron, and friend to Owen Brennan. You can order bananas foster at any of the Brennan’s restaurant locations, and a staff member will make it tableside right in front of you.

The bananas first saute in melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and banana liqueur for a more robust flavor. Then carefully, they flambé it with rum to ignite the flames. A dusting of cinnamon fills the air with warm, baked aromas. They serve it over scoops of vanilla ice cream for a beautiful contrast in temperatures.

Prepare the fruit

You want ripe bananas, but ones that are firm enough to stay intact when sauteing. The peel should be yellow, with a few brown speckles and no remaining green on the top. Look for medium-sized bananas, about 7 to 8 inches long (excluding the top stalk).

You will cut them into quarters, so you want generous-sized pieces that are easy to maneuver in the pan. Alternatively, if you like the appearance of whole bananas, use a smaller size, 4 to 5 inches in length. About 2 to 3 whole pieces cut in half will fit in the pan.

Two types of alcohol

Banana liqueur intensifies the dish’s fruity taste. ItIt’sretty mild at about 25% alcohol by volume. This product is sweetened with sugar and flavored with banana extract. ItIt’snique to the recipe, so I don’t suggest substituting it with anything else.

Rum adds flavor but is primarily used to flambé the bananas. The alcohol level is almost double, 40%, which makes it much easier to ignite. I use a dark rum aged in oak. It has vanilla and toasted almond notes to complement the caramel sauce. Alternatively, you can use white rum for a lighter, cleaner flavor.

Pan selection

Use a large 12-inch saute pan with sloped sides. This type prevents the contents from spilling over and helps to contain the flame. I find that stainless steel pans work the best.

Make a caramel sauce

I use unsalted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The ingredients cook over medium heat until the fat melts and the sugar dissolves. The sugar will caramelize and get stickier between 320 to 350ºF (160 to 177ºC).

I use dark brown sugar for a more robust molasses flavor. However, you can use light or golden brown sugar for a less intense taste. If you want a more salted caramel flavor, add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of kosher or sea salt.

Cook the bananas

Coat the banana slices in caramel sauce and banana liqueur to flavor the pieces. Cook until the flesh softens on both sides and the sauce further concentrates. After a few minutes, this creates a sticky glaze on the surface and a more tender texture.

Igniting the rum

Flaming the fruit is what makes this dessert special. After the bananas cook in the sauce, it’s best to turn off the heat and pour the rum on top. Then immediately turn the heat to medium to raise the alcohol temperature.

At room temperature, alcohol is still below its flash point and will not light. As the heat increases, the vapor pressure evaporates the alcohol around 172°F (78°C). ThThat’shen you can ignite the rum. Only let it warm for no more than 5 seconds. If too much alcohol evaporates, it will not light. Working quickly is critical!

The flambé technique

Using a high-proof spirit creates a small combustion effect in the pan to create a flame. You can start the process by either tilting the edge of the pan over the burner of a gas range or bringing a long-reach lighter to the pan’s side, just above the sauce. This is the hottest part, with the most vapors.

Once lit, shake the pan over the heat until the flames subside. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the flambé, just like at BrBrennan’sThe room will fill with delicious warm spice aromas. ItIt’sovely! This cooking technique leaves a subtle taste of the liquor and a deeper caramelized flavor.

Flambé safety tips

• Roll up your sleeves, keep loose clothing away from the pan, and tie long hair back. 
• Avoid having any additional burners on.
• Do not have the fan above on, or it could suck up the vapors, raising the flame.
• Never pour the alcohol directly from the bottle into the hot pan. The flame can follow the alcohol vapors back into the bottle and break. 
• Turn the heat off before adding the rum to prevent the vapors from igniting too quickly and burning your hand.
• Keep at least an arms-length when lighting the alcohol in the pan, never leaning too close. 
• Have a large metal lid handy to smother and extinguish the flame.
• Keep onlookers at a safe distance, never doing the flambé on the dinner table or walking with an ignited pan.

Does the alcohol cook out of bananas foster?

As the banana liqueur cooks and the rum flambés, some, but not all, the alcohol evaporates and burns off. About 75 to 85% may remain since this is a quickfire dessert. The dish’s flavor isn’t too boozy if that’s a concern. There’s only a hint of alcohol taste.

If you want to drive off the alcohol further, remove the bananas after flambeing and continue to heat the sauce for a few more minutes.

Serve with ice cream

To complement the hot fruit, the dish is traditionally served with a generous scoop of ice cream in the plate’s center. The bananas are arranged on the side, four pieces per plate, and then drizzle with the warm sauce. Make sure to enjoy it right away!

Other ways to enjoy this

• Add to slices of french toast for breakfast
• Serve with pancakes for brunch
• Add on top of bread pudding