Classic Bananas Foster With Mini Banana Cakes

Next to the chocolate soufflé and crepe suzette, bananas foster is another one of those classic desserts prepared tableside that customers at many high end restaurants have been enjoying for many years.

The dish was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans and named for Richard Foster, who was then the New Orleans Crime Commission chairman and a friend of Owen Brennan who owned the restaurant.

Little did we all know how quick and easy this dessert is to prepare…just a few basic ingredients that come together quickly and are usually on hand in many households. If you don’t like bananas, you can make it with just about any firm fruit that you like, but I must say, that there is something very special about the combination of bananas and caramel. The addition of a really high quality vanilla ice cream or vanilla semifreddo makes this dessert complete. If you like chocolate, then don’t hesitate to drizzle a little of that on there too…this does nothing more than magnify the delicious factor exponentially.

Classic Bananas Foster (2-4 servings)

½ stick butter

½ cup brown sugar

2 medium bananas, firm but ripe

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons rum

2 tablespoons banana liquer

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Vanilla ice cream or vanilla semifreddo

1/2 recipe banana cake (makes up to 1 dozen mini cakes)

This recipe is very easy to multiply if you need more servings. First, slice your bananas and set them aside. I prefer to slice them in the bias because they look so much nicer. Next, add the butter to a medium sized skillet then add the brown sugar and stir to combine well together. Add the rum and the banana liquer and flambé, if you choose to skip this step, simply stir in the alcohol and after a few minutes add the cream. Stir together again and lastly add the banana slices and toss gently until all of them are coated well in the caramel. Scoop some vanilla ice cream out into your dishes, or add some cake as I have done, then pour the banana and caramel mixture equally over both servings. It’s that easy…