Banana's Foster

Alright so let's face it, I've never had banana's foster once in my life so tonight, I made an exception. Upside? I now have a new dessert to attempt to cook when I get home! Downside... the full stomach and the ughhh feeling.  Don't get me wrong it was totally worth it! Those sizzling, flaming, sugary bananas drizzled over vanilla ice cream made for both a warm and melty, lovely bunch of goodness!!

So what exactly is banana's foster? Well, it was originally created by Paul Blange at Brennan's a creole restaurant located in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. Preparation of the dish usually involves a performance of a flambe (essentially setting it on fire). I was lucky enough to have the dish recreated in my college dining hall, I know right? Let me tell you, the chef did an awesome job preparing it right in front of me and he was even getting a two to three foot tall flame going! Anyway, if you'd like to try making this dessert at home here's the recipe. Oh, and it's your call on whether you choose to eat it as a delightful breakfast or a delectable dessert ;)

BANANAS FOSTER (recipe found here)


¼ cup (½ stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup banana liqueur

4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved

¼ cup dark rum

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Doesn't that sound delicious? Now I'm sure you can get creative here and design your own take on this dessert, so have fun. I have a feeling that even banana-haters will love this dish. I can't wait to re-create it myself when I'm home.

Remember: there's always room for dessert!

Stephanie, WWT