Paula Dean's Banana Foster
I love my Paula! This was absolutely delicious. I had to double it due to the amount of people, but doubling the bananas was a challenge. All of them did not fit in my pan (I did use the largest one we had, which is pretty substantial but making 8 bananas cut into four pieces fit is a little difficult. The flame is large so I would suggest doing it outside or somewhere in your home with a high ceiling, but definitely not over an oven that has a microwave or air vent above it. I only gave it four stars because I thought that it tasted way too much like Rum. It may have just been the brand I used, but next time I'll probably use a bit less. Otherwise this was fabulous and I plan on doing it again! (MUST be served with ice cream, otherwise it is way too rich.)
I love my Paula! This was absolutely delicious. I had to double it due to the amount of people, but doubling the bananas was a challenge. All of them did not fit in my pan (I did use the largest one we had, which is pretty substantial but making 8 bananas cut into four pieces fit is a little difficult. The flame is large so I would suggest doing it outside or somewhere in your home with a high ceiling, but definitely not over an oven that has a microwave or air vent above it. I only gave it four stars because I thought that it tasted way too much like Rum. It may have just been the brand I used, but next time I'll probably use a bit less. Otherwise this was fabulous and I plan on doing it again! (MUST be served with ice cream, otherwise it is way too rich.)
- Carbohydrate 80.917650068742 g
- Cholesterol 60.7375 mg
- Fat 23.302975 g
- Fiber 3.06799988746643 g
- Protein 1.5923250000841 g
- Saturated Fat 14.64362 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (215g)
- Sodium 19.8265000197401 mg
- Sugar 77.8496501812756 g
- Trans Fat 1.737375 g
- Calories 549 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large skillet, melt butter.
- Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together.
- Add the bananas and cook until caramelized on both sides, over medium-high heat.
- Move pan off heat, add the rum and return to the stove to catch a flame from the gas stove or a long lighter.
- Stand back when ignited and flambe the bananas.
- Be careful a flame will shoot up above the pan.
- Let flame die down and the alcohol cook out.
- Serve bananas over vanilla ice cream and/or a slice of pound cake.
Unlike a standard fruit compote that relies on prolonged simmering to break down cellular walls, this dessert demands aggressive, high-heat attention over a very brief window. Standard stovetop fruit preparations often utilize water or fruit juices to gently poach the solids until tender, but this formulation bypasses moisture entirely in favor of an immediate fat-and-sugar emulsion. Achieving the ideal texture requires vigilance, as the ratio of butter to brown sugar shifts rapidly from a glossy paste to burnt solids if left unattended for even thirty seconds.
The Science of the Flame
Managing the alcohol addition dictates whether the final sauce tastes pleasantly aromatic or aggressively harsh. Pull the skillet entirely off the burner heat source before introducing the dark rum to prevent premature flare-ups or grease splatters. When tilting the pan back toward the flame, ensure vertical clearance exceeds four feet, as the alcohol vaporization creates a sudden, tall combustion column. Allow the fire to extinguish completely on its own so the harsh ethanol compounds burn away, leaving behind only the concentrated residual esters. Using overripe bananas with heavy black spotting will introduce excess moisture and sugar, which interferes with the rapid caramelization needed during the initial medium-high sear.
- Pan capacity: Use a skillet with a diameter of at least twelve inches to prevent overlapping the banana quarters.
- Butter temperature: Start with chilled or room-temperature butter cut into tablespoons to slow the initial browning phase.
- Flame control: Switch off overhead kitchen exhaust fans prior to igniting the rum to avoid drawing flames into ductwork.
