Brennan's Houston Flambéed Bananas Foster with Rum
This New Orleans-inspired dessert features caramelized bananas sautéed in a rich brown sugar and butter sauce, then dramatically flambéed with rum. The theatrical presentation includes sparkling cinnamon that creates magical sparks when sprinkled over the flames. Served warm over vanilla ice cream, this indulgent treat is perfect for special occasions or dinner parties when you want to impress guests with both flavor and spectacle. The combination of sweet caramelized bananas, warm spices, and cold ice cream creates an irresistible contrast of temperatures and textures.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons light or dark rum, divided
- 4 ripe bananas, peeled, sliced lengthwise and halved again into quarters
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- 1
Add butter, sugar and 2 tablespoons rum to flat sauté pan or medium skillet
- 2
Cook over medium-high heat while stirring to melt
- 3
Add bananas and use table fork to lightly prick bananas while cooking
- 4
Sauté about 1 minute until bananas start to soften
- 5
Carefully tilt pan towards you to get top half hot, then remove from heat
- 6
Pour remaining rum over bananas
- 7
To flambé, carefully ignite rum by tilting pan towards flame or lighting with long taper match
- 8
Gently shake flaming pan with one hand and sprinkle cinnamon over flame with other hand
- 9
When flames die out, immediately spoon bananas and sauce over ice cream
Tips
Never pour liquor straight from the bottle into a hot pan and avoid leaning toward the pan to protect from burns
Sprinkle cinnamon from a small shaker directly into the flame to create spectacular sparks effect
Use butter pecan ice cream during December holidays to add another festive element
Good to Know
Best served immediately, sauce can be made ahead and reheated
Sauce can be prepared earlier and gently rewarmed before adding bananas
Serve immediately while warm over cold ice cream for best contrast
Common Mistakes
Never pour alcohol directly from bottle into hot pan to avoid dangerous flare-ups
Remove pan from heat before adding rum to control ignition
Keep face and body away from pan when flambéing to prevent burns
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
FAQ
Can I make this without flambéing?
Yes, simply skip the ignition step and let the alcohol cook off naturally for about 30 seconds after adding the remaining rum.
What if I don't have rum?
Bourbon, brandy, or even apple juice can substitute, though you'll lose the traditional flavor and flambé effect with non-alcoholic options.
How long does this keep?
Best served immediately, but leftover sauce can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and gently reheated before serving over fresh ice cream.