Flambéed bananas, also known as Bananas Foster, is a fun recipe that takes simple ingredients like bananas, brown sugar, and orange juice and literally lights them up with spiced rum and cinnamon to make a sweet and fun dessert. Nothing makes a dessert look more impressive than setting it aflame. With this recipe, you can light it up in your electric skillet.
Bananas Foster Origins
Bananas Foster originated in a restaurant named Brennan’s set in New Orleans. According to her memoir, Ella Brennan was asked by Owen Brennan, the restaurant owner, to come up with a special dessert for a dinner that night for Richard Foster, the New Orleans Crime Commission chairman and a restaurant regular.
She grabbed some spare bananas, and she was inspired by a caramelized banana breakfast dish her mother made along with a baked Alaska. She created the dish, and it was a huge hit at the dinner party. To honor the main dinner guest, they christened the dessert ‘Bananas Foster’. Today, it is still the most popular dessert at Brennan’s and has become a New Orleans classic treat.
Ingredients
- bananas – make sure they are ripe but not over-ripe
- butter
- brown sugar
- orange juice – freshly squeezed (keep 1 slice of the orange peel)
- ground cinnamon
- spiced rum – this is necessary to flambé the dish
- vanilla ice cream – to serve with the bananas
How to Make it
- Slice the bananas. Slice the bananas in half lengthwise. Heat electric skillet to 375ºF. Melt the butter in the skillet.
- Cook until golden. Add the brown sugar and orange peel and mix it into the butter. Add the bananas and cook them until golden on both sides.
- Add o.j. Add the orange juice and sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Flambé the bananas. When the sauce is really hot, add the rum very quickly and carefully (do not add it straight from the bottle) – if it’s hot enough, it will burn by itself. If this doesn’t happen, you will have to use long matches or a kitchen lighter and very carefully light the rum from the edge of the skillet. Have the lighter on hand because this has to be done immediately after adding the rum.
- Serve. Discard the orange peel. Serve warm with ice cream.
Flambéing Safety Tips
- Always use extreme caution when attempting to flambé.
- Make sure the electric skillet is in an open space.
- Keep your body separated from the skillet.
- Tie hair back and do not wear loose clothing.
- Never have your face over the pan.
- Do not pour the liquor directly out of the bottle. Transfer the correct amount to a measuring glass first.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
Serving Suggestions
Vanilla ice cream is a classic accompaniment to the flambéed bananas, but there are other ways to enjoy these caramelized bananas:
- If you want something with a creamy taste but less heavy than ice cream, whipped cream is a subtly sweet, lighter substitute.
- For a more textured dish, I recommend candied or toasted nuts, like walnuts or pralines.
- Baked goods are a great addition to this recipe, like pancakes, crepes or cakes. I recommend waffles because they are sturdy and their pockets can hold the extra sauce.
Storage
This flambéed banana recipe is freezable in an airtight container for up to a month. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the electric skillet. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, but these bananas are better enjoyed immediately.
On a personal note, this is the first ever recipe that I successfully flambéed and it helped me get over my fear of working so closely with fire. Your first time can be exhilarating. How did it turn out for you? Let me know in the comments and please share the recipe!
Electric Skillet Flambéed Bananas Recipe (Bananas Foster)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice - and 1 slice of the orange peel
- ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup spiced rum
- vanilla ice cream - optional
Instructions
- Slice the bananas in half lengthwise.4 ripe bananas
- Heat electric skillet to 375ºF. Melt the butter in the skillet.1/4 cup butter
- Add the brown sugar and orange peel and mix it into the butter. Add the bananas and cook them until golden on both sides.3 tablespoons brown sugar
- Add the orange juice and sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes.1/2 cup orange juice, ground cinnamon
- When the sauce is really hot, add the rum very quickly and carefully (do not add it straight from the bottle) – if it’s hot enough, it will burn by itself. If this doesn’t happen, you will have to use long matches or a kitchen lighter and very carefully light the rum from the edge of the skillet. Have the lighter on hand because this has to be done immediately after adding the rum.1/3 cup spiced rum
- Discard the orange peel. Serve warm with ice cream.
Equipment
Notes
- Always use extreme caution when attempting to flambé. Make sure the electric skillet is in an open space, keep your body separated from the skillet, tie hair back, never have your face over the pan and do not pour the liquor directly out of the bottle. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
- Make sure the bananas are ripe but not over-ripe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.