What’s a more romantic dessert than bananas foster? Sautéed bananas float in a dreamy sauce of caramelized sugar and rum, topped with melty vanilla ice cream. We’re getting hungry just thinking about it! Of course there’s a flame too, to bring in over the top drama. It might be the ideal dessert: because it’s also fast and easy to whip up after dinner. Here’s our perfect bananas foster recipe that works for two, though the quantities can be enough for four small dessert portions. The best part: you can make it in 10 minutes!
What does bananas foster mean?
First of all, where did bananas foster come from? This delicious banana dessert comes from New Orleans. It consists of sliced bananas cooked in a butter and rum sauce, often prepared tableside using a flambé where the rum is set on fire in a dramatic flame. Where does “foster” come from in the name? We used to think it was a fancy French term pronounced “fos-TERRE”. Nope, it’s just plain old Foster! The dessert was created at a restaurant called Brennan’s and named after Richard Foster, a friend of the restaurant owner (Foster was the chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission). Myth debunked! No more bananas fos-TERRE for us.
How to make bananas foster: some tips!
Ready to get started making bananas foster? There is a flame involved, so let’s talk through some of the safety elements:
Heat the bananas foster sauce: Throw butter, brown sugar and spices into a pan and cook until thickened. Add the bananas, sliced long-ways. Light the rum with a stick lighter, and keep a fire extinguisher handy! Many restaurants burn off the rum by lighting a flame at the table. Can you do this with a homemade bananas foster recipe? Yes! Just be very, very careful: use a stick lighter, stand away from the fire, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Serve with vanilla ice cream! Once the flame subsides, you’re ready to go! Serve bananas foster with vanilla ice cream or our homemade whipped cream and it’s a little bit of heaven.
The great thing about this recipe is that it takes about 10 minutes to put together with no advanced planning. When we’re looking for simple dessert recipes, that’s one of our biggest criteria: how easy is it to whip up after we’ve cooked an entire meal? It’s perfect for a Friday night, great as a winter treat or even Valentine’s Day.
What kind of rum for bananas foster?
You can use any rum, 80 proof or higher, for this bananas foster recipe. We like to use 100 proof spiced rum, which adds flavor and ignites easily. This recipe also uses creme de banana, a banana flavored liqueur. Please note that high-proof alcohol is flammable and extreme caution should be used when making this recipe. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of an accident.
Can bananas foster be made ahead?
Technically, you can make bananas foster ahead of time, save it refrigerated, and then reheat it prior to serving. But the bananas do lose some of their texture after refrigeration. Since the cook time is so short for this one, we’d recommend preparing it just before serving. To save time, you can measure out all the sauce ingredients in advance. Then, all you have to do is peel and slice the bananas, throw the sauce ingredients in the pan, and heat them for a few minutes!
More banana recipes
That’s it! This bananas foster recipe is one of our favorite desserts, we hope you love it as much as we do! If you’re got more bananas on hand, here are a few more banana recipes to use them up:
Whip up a loaf of Easy Banana Nut Bread or Chocolate Banana BreadMake a batch of Healthy Banana Bread MuffinsHave a cozy breakfast with Banana Baked Oatmeal or Banana Oatmeal PancakesBlend up a Perfect Banana Smoothie
This bananas foster recipe is…
Grain free, gluten free, and vegetarian. For vegan, substitute coconut oil for the butter and use vegan ice cream or Coconut Whipped Cream. Last updated: December 2020 No reviews
