Tropical Bananas Foster

For the DIY Taco Party that I hosted, I decided to create a dessert that would be easy to assemble for a group while also being a bit dramatic to make in front of guests and provide a not-too-heavy finish to the meal.  I think that this recipe managed to deliver on all fronts and is one that I would keep in the make-it-again file.

 

Tropical Bananas Foster   

Prep Time: It goes very fast and will take about 10-15 minutes to finish
 

Serves: 6 to 4 adults

Ingredients:

3 Bananas, whole (not green, not ultra-ripe)
3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
1/2 Lime, zest and juice of
1/4 cup Rum, dark

1/2 cup Coconut, unsweetened, toasted to garnish
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts, toasted, chopped to garnish
Vanilla ice cream to serve
Coconut gelato to serve (optional)

Assembly:

If using coconut and macadamia nuts as garnish, which is highly recommended, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 4). Put each on a separate ungreased baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. No additional oil is needed as both items have their natural oils in which to cook. Watch carefully as the toasting process seems to go slowly at first, but it is quite easy for these to burn.*

Peel and cut bananas in half and then quarter each half. Place to the side. Melt butter in non-stick pan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon, making sure that there are no lumps. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and a light brown liquid caramel has formed.

Add bananas. It doesn’t matter if they are sliced-side up or down as you will stir the banana and caramel mixture so that each side has been coated in some of the liquid. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add zest of lime and lime juice. The mixture will bubble a bit. 

Stir in lime juice to incorporate it into the caramel. Cook for 3 minutes more. If it seems too liquidy at this point, cook for another minute or so until it is thickened. It should lightly coat the back of the wooden spoon.

Here it is the bit you’ve been waiting for to create the dramatic finish.  Clear out the kitchen, someone hang onto the kids, lock the cats and dogs in the bathroom, keep the neighbors and stray relatives out of the house – we’re makin’ fire. Have a clear space, seriously. Pour the rum into the pan with the bananas and syrup. Very quickly, the second after that, light the mixture in the pan on fire with a match. You should see blue and red flames shooting upwards. [I managed to capture one small orange flame on camera, as you can see from the photo below.]

The flames will die down as the alcohol in the rum burns away. You can continue to cook the mixture on the stove for 2-3 minutes more to thicken again. Stir to incorporate the rum into the syrup. The fun part is to see the reactions of everyone as you show them the burning pan. It’s a great dinner party trick!

To serve: Put out the ice cream and gelato, a plate with the toasted coconut and macadamias, and allow everyone to take the bananas and syrup from the pan. Here’s a photo of what my creation looked like at the end.

Buon appetito!

*Kitchen Witch Tip:

The coconut and toasted macadamia nuts can be prepared in advance and placed in the refrigerator. Allow to cool and then place in separate covered containers or bags. Several minutes prior to serving – while preparing the bananas – take out of the refrigerator so that they come to room temperature. The rest of the dessert is made after your guests enjoy their dinner.