Bananes Flambée (Bananas Foster)
Although this may not be the prettiest dessert, Bananes Flambée just might be one of the best you have ever tasted! This quintessential French dessert is also known as Bananas Foster, and is surprisingly easy to make. Butter and two types of sugar combine to create a rich caramel sauce. Very ripe bananas are then caramelized in the sauce and flambéed with brandy. This magical hot caramel sauce is then poured over vanilla ice cream to create the most delectable dessert. Be sure to enjoy it quickly before it melts!
This extraordinary dessert is my father’s recipe and has been the go-to-dessert in my home since childhood. To learn how to make this amazing 6 ingredient dessert recipe that will surely impress your guests, see the printable recipe card below. Take a look at the recipe video, or get Step by Step Instructions for a more detailed explanation of this recipe. For other recipe variations like a vegan and dairy-free option, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in this recipe’s Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out my Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
BANANES FLAMBÉE (BANANAS FOSTER)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut bananas into 1 ½ inch thick diagonal slices (or halve lengthwise), and set aside.
- Heat a heavy frying pan (10 inch) on medium heat for 30 seconds (or medium-high depending on your stove & pan). Add salted butter and melt. Once butter is bubbling and almost melted, sprinkle brown sugar, and when butter is completely melted, stir to combine. Add sliced bananas cut side down, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top of bananas. Cook without disturbing until bananas are golden brown on the bottom (see Note #3), and sauce is bubbling and golden brown (about 3-6 minutes to get that caramel color). Flip bananas with a spoon or spatula, and sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over the bananas. Cook for 1 minute.
- CAUTION (see Note #4): Turn off heat (leaving pan on same burner), pour brandy (or Cognac) all over the bananas. Turn on heat back to medium, and standing at a safe distance, use an extra long stove lighter to VERY CAREFULLY light the brandy (or Cognac) in the pan to flambé. Shake the flaming pan back and forth, allowing flame to burn out completely. Cook off the alcohol for 15 seconds, and remove from heat.
- Allow Bananes Flambée to cool down a bit in the pan (see Note #5) while you serve your favorite vanilla ice cream. Then top with the warm Bananes Flambée, serve immediately, and enjoy!
Notes
- CAUTION: Before getting started, make sure you have an extra long stove lighter (this one is 15 inches) to light the flame (flambé the alcohol). Please use extra caution when flambéing with alcohol. I like to make sure I don’t wear any loose clothing, and tie my hair back, as well. Have the lid of the pan ready in the event that the flames get too high.
- Use a dense and rich ice cream like Haagen-Daz vanilla bean ice cream for this recipe. Light or slow churned ice cream has too much air whipped into it and melts immediately when the hot Bananes Flambée is spooned over the ice cream. The ice cream will melt, but not as quickly with a dense ice cream. For a dairy-free version of this recipe, visit this recipe’s Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips on the website.
- Periodically check if bananas are golden brown by lifting the edges with a spatula to peek underneath the slices. You don’t want them to get dark brown or burnt, as they will continue to cook and brown when they are flambéed.
- It’s important to use extreme caution when flambéing anything. The flames can get quite high (about 12 inches or so), so keep the lid of the frying pan nearby. If the flames get too big and scary and don’t die down, just cover the pan with the lid to snuff out the flames.
- For more tips, visit the Notes section for this recipe, and Tips section of my Blog Comments & Tips on the website.
- Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
214.77Fat (grams)
8.77 gSat. Fat (grams)
5.47 gCarbs (grams)
30.33 gFiber (grams)
1.77 gNet carbs
28.55 gSugar (grams)
23.02 gProtein (grams)
0.84 gSodium (milligrams)
70.88 mgCholesterol (grams)
22.57 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.Vanilla bean ice cream is not included in the nutritional calculations for this recipe, as each brand varies greatly.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
CAUTION: Before getting started, make sure you have an extra long stove lighter to light the flame (flambée the alcohol). Please use extra caution when flambéing with alcohol. I like to make sure I don’t wear any loose clothing, and tie my hair back, as well.
STEP 1
Cut 2 large very ripe bananas (or 3 medium) into 1 ½ inch thick diagonal slices (see Note below), and set aside.
Note: The traditional French way (and my father’s way) to make Bananes Flambée is to slice each whole banana lengthwise, as shown in the below photo. Although I have always made it this way, the 1 ½ inch diagonal slices make a nicer presentation.
STEP 2a
Heat a heavy frying pan (10 inch) on medium heat for 30 seconds (or medium-high heat depending on your stove & pan), then add 3 tablespoons salted butter, and melt. Once butter is bubbling and almost melted, sprinkle 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, and when butter is completely melted, stir to combine. Add the sliced bananas cut side down, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar directly on top of the bananas. Cook without disturbing.
STEP 2b
Once bananas are golden brown on the bottom (see Note below), and the caramel is bubbling and reaches a golden brown (about 3-6 minutes to get that caramel color), flip bananas with a spoon or spatula, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar over the bananas. Allow to cook for 1 minute.
Note: Periodically check if bananas are golden brown by lifting the edges with a spatula to peek underneath the slices. You don’t want them to get dark brown or burnt, as they will continue to cook and brown when they are flambéed.
STEP 3
Turn off heat (leaving pan on same burner), pour 2 ½ tablespoons brandy (or Cognac - see Note A below) all over the bananas. Turn on heat back to medium, and standing at a safe distance, use an extra long stove lighter to VERY CAREFULLY light the brandy (or Cognac) in the pan to flambée (CAUTION - see Note B below). Shake the flaming pan back and forth, and allow flame to completely burn out. Continue to cook for 15 seconds, and remove from heat
Note A: For recommendations on what brands of brandy or Cognac to use, visit my Blog Comments & Tips.
Note B: It’s important to use extreme caution when flambéing anything. The flames can get quite high (about 12 inches or so), so keep the lid of the frying pan nearby. If the flames get too big and scary and don’t die down, just cover the pan with the lid to snuff out the flames.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve vanilla bean ice cream in shallow bowls (see Note below). Then pour the warm Bananes Flambée directly over the ice cream. The Ice cream will melt quickly, so serve immediately, and enjoy!
Note: See Notes section below for more tips. The Bananes Flambée need a couple of minutes to cool off, as the caramel will be flaming hot. The bananes flambée should still be very warm when spooning over ice cream. To avoid burning your mouth, make sure it’s not too hot to enjoy!
Notes:
Use a dense and rich ice cream like Haagen-Daz vanilla bean ice cream for this recipe. Light or slow churned ice cream has too much air whipped into it and melts immediately when the hot Bananes Flambée is spooned over the ice cream. The ice cream will melt, but not as quickly with a dense ice cream. For dairy-free version of this recipe, visit the Pimp My Recipe section of my Blog Comments & Tips below.
Recipe can be made ahead!
VIDEO
How to Make Bananes Flambée (Bananas Foster)!
Blog Comments & Tips
An impressive & magical dessert!
I grew up watching my father make Bananes Flambée (aka: Bananas Foster) at least once a month. This quintessential French dessert easily became my favorite dessert at a young age, not only because of the spectacle of the flambée, but because the flavors were extraordinary. Decades later, I still feel exactly the same about this dessert in every way…it’s simply magical!
My father’s recipe for Bananes Flambée would use either brandy or Cognac to flambée, and usually only granulated sugar, but other times a combination of brown and white sugars. In Bananas Foster, rum is typically used to flambée the bananas, and only brown sugar is used. However, I have always found that rum makes this already sweet caramel sauce into a cloyingly sweet dessert. In my opinion, using brandy or Cognac instead adds a very subtle sweetness and more elegant flavor to this dessert.
There is nothing like witnessing the childlike splendor on an adult’s face when I make them Bananes Flambée for the first time. The next best thing is to see their expression when they take their first bite!
I remember making this years ago for my three kids (step children), who at the time were between the ages of 12 and 16 years. Sara was the youngest and had just turned 12. I wanted to make the kids something special for dessert, and although they were open, I could see the understandable skepticism in their eyes (...fried bananas??!!). I tried to “sell” the idea as the French version of a banana split, but stratospherically better. Not sure if they bought it, but thankfully they remained open to try it.
Not only did the flambée process catch their interest, but it was all worth it to see and hear their first impressions. They quietly ate their desserts, then I asked Sara what she thought. Knowing she would tell me the brutal truth, I braced myself. She looked up with her eyes as big as saucers and said, “this is literally the best thing I have ever eaten!” To carry on the French tradition, I later taught all of them how to make it, and all the precautions to take when flambéing. They are all adults now, but I believe they still make Bananes Flambée once in a great while in their own homes. I can only hope that my father’s tradition will carry on in their future families, and they will teach their children about how to make this amazing French dessert (with close supervision, of course!).
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 6 tips to making delicious Bananes Flambée (Bananas Foster):
CAUTION: Before getting started, make sure you have an extra long stove lighter (this one is 15 inches) to flame (flambée) the alcohol in the pan. Please use extra caution when flambéing with alcohol. I like to make sure I don’t wear any loose clothing, and tie my hair back, as well. Have the lid of the pan ready in the event that the flames get too high and don’t burn out.
Have all your ingredients measured out and ready to go before you get started.
The riper the bananas, the sweeter the caramel sauce will become. Use very ripe bananas that are still firm enough to hold their shape. Otherwise if they are overly ripe, they will turn to mush in the pan as you cook them. It’s your choice whether to slice them in 1 ½ inch pieces, or halved lengthwise, which is the traditional French way.
Use a heavy duty pan that cooks evenly. This HexClad frying pan with lid (10 inch) is the perfect size for this recipe and heats beautifully! This pan works best on medium heat. Depending on your stove and type of pan, you may need to gradually increase the temp to medium-high, like with this non-stick pan (Calphalon frying pan with lid (10 inch).
The key is to caramelize the bananas, and get that golden brown “sear” on each side. Once you add the bananas to the butter and sugar in the pan, leave them undisturbed (except for peeking once in a while to check if they are done).
The alcohol burns off, so you don’t need to use the very best brandy or Cognac. For this photo shoot, I used Pierre Duchene VSOP brandy, which is an economical brand that I bought from Trader Joe’s years ago. For a slightly more elegant flavor, I also like using Remy Martin VSOP Cognac or Hennessy VSOP Cognac. Either way, I would definitely select one that you would enjoy drinking on its own.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with this recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Vegan & Dairy Free: Although I cannot claim that the non-dairy version has the same flavor as the real dairy butter of this recipe, it is a good alternative for those that do not consume dairy products. Here’s how… Replace the dairy butter with salted plant-based butter (like Miyoko’s Creamery organic European style salted vegan butter). Use your favorite non-dairy vanilla ice cream, but make sure it’s rich and dense like Nada Moo! organic vanilla bean dairy-free ice cream.
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Please use extra caution when flambéing with alcohol. I like to make sure I don’t wear any loose clothing, and tie my hair back, as well. Also, have the lid of the pan ready in the event that the flames get too high.
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