Bananas Foster Recipe
With Mardi Gras just days away, I thought I’d practice my flambé skills and whip up a Bananas Foster Recipe, a classic New Orleans dessert.
Bananas Flambé is an impressive dessert with minimal ingredients and maximum deliciousness!
Why You Must Make
- This traditional New Orleans dessert is perfect for Mardi Gras AKA Fat Tuesday.
- Bananas Foster is an easy, decadent dessert.
- Fat Tuesday is one last day to gorge and a dessert you flambe will be especially memorable!
Fat Tuesday AKA Mardi Gras is upon us. Going into this Lenten season, I’m toying with giving up my guilty pleasure, cookie dough, or maybe sweets altogether. There is one last day to gorge, so it’s the perfect time to make a traditional New Orleans dessert.
This easy, yet decadent bananas Foster was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennan’s Restaurant. Their recipe uses banana liqueur along with the rum, but I elected to use vanilla extract instead (my palate is forever scarred after taking liquid banana Dramamine before our family vacations. I’m sooooo wary of banana-flavored anything). This dessert was named after one of their patrons and friend of the owner, Richard Foster.
Expert Tips
This is one simple, delectable dessert, but it takes some patience. Bananas are sliced and sauteed in a mixture of butter, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar along with some pecans. After the alcohol is added, it is ignited for a show-stopping presentation.
- Be patient while melting the brown sugar. If it still looks granular after a few minutes, lower the heat and give it more time.
- For the grand finale, rum and vanilla are added to the pan. Add a banana liqueur, too, for a more traditional recipe.
- With a flick of a lighter, the dessert is flambéed for a dramatic effect right before serving.
- Use an 80-proof rum for the best flambé. Note that much of the alcohol, but not all, will burn off during this process.
- Be very careful, though, as the flames shoot high and nobody needs a kitchen fire! Or singed eyelashes. If you have long hair, tie it back and be prepared to step back quickly after igniting the rum.
- Spooned over vanilla ice cream, these boozy and caramelized bananas will impress your guests. Whipped cream is another delicious alternative.
I’m rethinking my view on banana desserts as this flambéed Bananas Foster was marvelous. If you’re a fan of banana desserts, try this Sour Cream Banana Cake, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Bananas Foster is an impressive dessert that was created in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1951 at Brennan’s Restaurant. The name Foster came from a regular patron of the restaurant at that time. It’s meant to be prepared and served tableside.
Bananas Foster is a Bananas Flambé once it’s lit. The term flambé is the culinary term for a dish where alcohol is added and ignited.
Much of the alcohol will burn off when the bananas foster is ignited, but there is a high likelihood that there is still some alcohol in the dessert when the flames die down. Be cautious with serving this to children.
Though rum is classic in bananas foster other options include bourbon, brandy, or cognac.
You May Also Like:
- Bananas Foster French Toast by A Mind “Full” Mom
- New Orleans Mardi Gras Beignets by Big Bear’s Wife
- Easy King Cake
- Jambalaya Soup
- Roasted Creole Edamame
- Chicken Gumbo
- Shrimp and Grits
- More Holiday Recipes
Bananas Foster
The classic New Orleans dessert. Adapted from Allrecipes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 bananas, peeled, then cut on the diagonal
- 1/4 cup pecan halves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
- Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and cinnamon and mix to combine.
- When the mixture starts bubbling, continue cooking until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the bananas and pecans.
- Spoon the sugar syrup over bananas and cook till bananas are hot, only a couple of minutes.
- Add vanilla and rum, and using a lighter, ignite alcohol if desired (be VERY careful as flames will shoot high!).
- Serve over ice cream.
Notes
You can also add Banana Liqueur before you ignite for a more traditional version.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 437Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 3gSugar: 48gProtein: 3g
74 Comments on “Bananas Foster Recipe”
Going to try this on the weekend. It looks so good!
This is a show stopper! My daughter was SO impressed by the flambe’ and I fell in love with the deliciousness!
Wow. That’s a real decadent dessert we’d both love to try with lots of kaimaki (Chios mastic-scented) ice cream on the side. We buy lots of organic bananas lately (for some strange reason), the are a staple in our home now:) So the timing is perfect, now that the Spring is FINALLY here:) Pinned!
Sending you lots and lots of hugs,
Mirella and Panos
Simple and extravagant all in one. I really got a kick out of the flaming bananas.
A yummy classic that goes so well with ice cream!
There is nothing like the Banana’s Foster at Brennan’s! What a spectacle that is. We haven’t been there in ages and really must plan a trip back to see our friend Daniel. In the meantime we will have to try your version at home.
Man, did your Banana’s Foster bring back a memory. I’ve had Bananas Foster one or two times but only at New Orleans’ restaurants. Loved. When Stephen and Melissa were dating, just two college kids at St. Olaf, they visited us in Aspen. For dessert one night, Michael decided he would do Bananas Foster on the grill. Well, Missy and Stephen were granola kids and a fancy flaming dessert was probably not their style or anything they had seen before. Plus, I don’t know what Michael did, but those bananas were a disaster. Stephen said very little that weekend but he did mention that there were some fruits that probably shouldn’t be “grilled.” I still am carting around 1/2 bottle of dark rum! Yours looks delicious so this summer I might finish off my bottle of dark rum and treat my friends to a flaming dessert.
This is my all time favorite dessert I would get once a year at our getaway weekend place. I never made it a home. Thanks for a great recipe. I’ll skip the banana liquor too!
This is such an elegant classic for Mardi Gras, and if you are truly giving up sweets for Lent, I admire your willpower! 🙂
First of all, I can’t believe banana flavored dramamine is a thing. Second, this looks delicious!
Ha ha! It was when I was a kid! I think it was the only flavored option—blech.
This sounds like the perfect, delicious dessert to make when you forgot to make dessert! I love how simple yet fancy it is!
I’ve always wanted to make Bananas Foster Liz! It looks and sounds great. With Fat Tuesday looming, it’s time to indulge one last time! Thanks for sharing!
This looks good. I’ve never tried it but I’ve always wanted to visit New Orleans at Mardi Gras 🙂
Amalia
xo