Bananas Foster For One
An easy bananas foster for one made with caramelized bananas, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and rum, served warm over vanilla ice cream in 10 minutes.
Servings: 1 serving
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar -packed
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 medium banana -sliced
- 2 tablespoons rum or use 1 teaspoon of rum extract or vanilla extract
- vanilla ice cream , for serving
Instructions
- Before you begin: Measure all ingredients before turning on the stove. This recipe cooks fast.
- Melt the butter. Place an 8-inch stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt completely.
- Make the caramel sauce. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves into the butter and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Add the banana. Add the sliced banana to the skillet and stir gently to coat. Cook for about 1 minute, until the banana softens slightly but still holds its shape.
- Add the rum. Pour 2 tablespoons of rum from a measuring spoon or small bowl into the skillet. Pouring from a measured amount prevents over-pouring and reduces the risk of flare-ups. Let the sauce simmer for about 30 seconds.For an alcohol-free version, use 1 teaspoon of rum extract or pure vanilla extract instead of the rum.
- Flambé (optional). Tilt the pan slightly away from you and ignite the rum with a long-reach lighter. The flames will burn out on their own in about 30 seconds. If they last longer, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat.
- Serve. Spoon the warm bananas and sauce over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve right away.
Video
Notes
Keep the heat at medium-low. Brown sugar burns at higher temperatures, and once it scorches the sauce turns bitter and grainy. Medium-low heat gives the butter and sugar time to come together into a smooth caramel without browning past the point you want.
Use a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet, not non-stick. Both stainless and cast-iron handle the heat of flambéing without issue. Non-stick coatings aren't designed for the high heat of igniting alcohol and can warp or release fumes.
Slice the banana into ¼-inch rounds. Thinner slices fall apart in the sauce. Thicker slices won't soften enough in the short cooking time. Quarter-inch rounds are sturdy enough to hold their shape and thin enough to caramelize through.
Use a long-reach lighter for the flambé. A long-reach lighter keeps your hand and face well away from the flames when you ignite the rum. A short kitchen match or a standard lighter puts you too close to the pan.
Serve right away. Bananas foster is a hot-and-cold dessert and the contrast is the point. The longer the warm sauce sits, the more the ice cream melts and the more the bananas soften past their best texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
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