Bananas Foster Ice Cream
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 28, 2024
This 5-minute Bananas Foster Ice Cream is a sweet treat that’s both casual and sophisticated. The caramelized bananas over vanilla bean ice cream are decadently delicious and so easy to make!
In This Article
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What is Bananas Foster?
Bananas foster is known for its New Orleans origins, and is a super fragrant combination of ripe sliced bananas and a buttery rum sauce. It’s most often served on top of vanilla ice cream, and can include a touch of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped nuts, should you crave a bit of crunch. For a fun touch of flamboyance, a flambé can be involved to impress your guests. Otherwise, go with a simple stovetop recipe – we offer both options for you below.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
We all love a sweet treat, but this Bananas Foster Ice Cream takes things to a whole new level. The combination of caramelized bananas and vanilla bean ice cream is both comforting and sophisticated, making it the perfect dessert for any occasion.
- Quick and Easy: This recipe can be made in just 5 minutes, so it’s perfect for those last-minute dinner parties.
- Versatile: The caramel-like sauce is so delicious that you’ll want to pour it over everything. Try it on waffles, pancakes, or even other ice cream flavors. The possibilities are endless!
- Flavorful: The base recipe is incredibly delicious, and I’ve added a bit of orange zest to the sauce, which is reminiscent of Grand Marnier without the alcohol. The flavors will work great with our Lace Cookies that also feature orange zest.
- Flambé Option: For a show-stopping dessert, you can also flambe the bananas foster. It’s sure to impress your guests!
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Bananas – The star of the show, bananas, add a natural sweetness and a soft, creamy texture to the dish.
- Butter – The base of the sauce, butter adds a rich and creamy texture that perfectly complements the sweet bananas.
- Brown Sugar – This ingredient is key to achieving the caramelized flavor of the dish.
- Rum – We use dark rum to add a depth of flavor and a slight boozy kick. It’s a key ingredient that sets this dish apart.
Substitutions And Variations
We all love a dessert that can be personalized to our tastes, and this Bananas Foster Ice Cream is no exception. Check out some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- The Base: Vanilla ice cream is the classic choice, but you can switch it up with other flavors like chocolate or even dairy-free options like coconut milk ice cream. It’ll also go great with our Strawberry Ice Cream!
- Fruit Flambé: You can also try this flambé style with other fruits like apples, pears, or even pineapple for a tropical twist.
- Vegan: If you’re following a vegan diet, you can easily make this recipe vegan-friendly by using vegan butter and your favorite non-dairy ice cream.
- Rum Syrup: For a variation on the sauce, consider making extra rum syrup by combining brown sugar, dark rum, and unsalted butter. This can be drizzled over the ice cream for an extra boozy kick.
- Garnish: The possibilities for garnishes are endless. Try adding nuts, chunks of fruit, whipped cream, or shaved chocolate for a personalized touch as we do in our Chocolate Pie.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Slice bananas and melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir until the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Simmer the mixture until the alcohol is burned off for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add sliced bananas to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve immediately over ice cream.
- Flambé Option: Add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to the skillet. Pour rum and carefully ignite it using a long candle lighter. Let the alcohol burn off, and then add bananas for 30-60 seconds. Serve immediately.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Bananas Foster Ice Cream is a classic dessert that we love for its delicious combination of flavors. Here’s what you can prep ahead:
- Sauce: The sauce for your Bananas Foster can be prepared ahead of time. After melting the butter and adding the sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon, you can let it cool and then store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce and add the bananas.
Commonly Asked Questions
For Bananas Foster, it’s best to use slightly under-ripe or just-ripe bananas. These will hold their shape better when cooked and add a nice texture to the dish.
Yes, you can. Simply substitute the rum with a non-alcoholic rum flavor or leave it out entirely. The dish will still have the same delicious flavor, just without the boozy kick.
The alcohol is mostly or completely burned off when you can no longer smell or taste it. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes of simmering. If you can still smell or taste alcohol, simmer a bit longer.
We recommend using a large skillet to make Bananas Foster. This will give you enough room to melt the butter, add the other ingredients, and cook the bananas without overcrowding the pan.
Bananas Foster Ice Cream is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store the sauce separately in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.
Did you make this?
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Bananas Foster Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 whole bananas, slightly under-ripe or just-ripe, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 ½ TB rum
- 1 TB vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp orange zest, fine, optional
- Vanilla bean ice cream
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet. Add sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir frequently. Bring to slow simmer, reducing heat to medium-low. The sauce will bubble as it simmers. Simmer until alcohol taste is mostly or completely burned off, 1-2 minutes. If you can still taste alcohol, simmer a bit longer.
- Place sliced bananas in pan and gently cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or just until soft, but not mushy. Serve immediately over ice cream.
Notes
- Flambé Option: Add sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to skillet. Add the rum last, just before adding bananas. Pour rum into skillet, slightly and carefully tilting pan to expose alcohol to heat source, and it should ignite. If not, use long candle lighter to ignite. Cook until flame dies out. Add bananas for 30-60 seconds. Serve immediately.
- It’s best to use slightly under-ripe or barely ripe bananas. These will hold their shape better when cooked and will have a less intense banana flavor, allowing the other flavors in the dish to shine.
- When simmering the sauce, make sure to simmer until the alcohol’s strong taste is mostly or completely burned off, which usually takes 1-2 minutes. If you can still smell or taste alcohol, simmer a bit longer.
- When you add the sliced bananas to the pan, cook them gently for just 30 seconds to 1 minute. You want them to soften but not become mushy. Overcooked bananas will lose their shape and texture, which won’t be as pleasant to eat.
- Serve your Bananas Foster over a scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream. The richness of the ice cream will complement the sweet, caramelized bananas perfectly.
Nutrition (per serving)
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