Classic Bananas Foster — A Flambéed Showstopper for Your Next Dinner Party
When Personal Chef Robert L. Gorman stages a private dinner in Westport, Connecticut, few desserts command the room like Bananas Foster. The caramel glow of the flambé pan, the sweet rush of dark rum igniting over ripe bananas, the tableside theatre that turns a Tuesday supper into an unforgettable evening — this is the kind of fine-dining experience that Robert brings directly to your home across Fairfield County.
Whether you are hosting a New Year's Eve celebration, a Valentine's Day dinner for two, an elegant Mardi Gras feast, a Mother's Day brunch, a Thanksgiving gathering, or a festive Christmas Eve dessert course, Bananas Foster fits seamlessly into the menus Robert crafts for each occasion. Easter, Fourth of July cookouts, and intimate anniversary dinners are equally well served by a dessert that is both dramatic and deceptively simple.
Robert sources the finest ingredients for every course. The Westport Farmers' Market — located at 50 Imperial Avenue during its spring and summer season and at Gilbertie's Herb Gardens on Sylvan Lane through the winter months — is home to over fifty vendors offering local produce, artisan dairy, and specialty goods. Beloved vendors such as Fort Hill Farm, Riverbank Farm, and Beaver Brook Farm supply the seasonal fruits, butter, and cream that elevate Robert's cooking from excellent to extraordinary. For this Bananas Foster, Robert recommends selecting ripe, unblemished bananas with deep yellow peels and small brown speckles — the stage at which natural sugars peak and caramelization is most rewarding.
Premium unsalted butter from a Connecticut creamery, fragrant Ceylon cinnamon, quality dark rum such as Gosling's Black Seal or Mount Gay Eclipse, and a smooth banana liqueur like Giffard Banane du Brésil round out the pantry essentials. For the vanilla ice cream, Robert prefers a high-butterfat artisan variety — Westport's own local creameries and specialty shops like Aux Délices and Terrain at Westport stock outstanding options.
The History of Bananas Foster
Bananas Foster was born in 1951 at Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. At the time, New Orleans served as the primary U.S. port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America, and the fruit was both abundant and exotic. Restaurant founder Owen Brennan challenged his chef, Paul Blangé, and his sister Ella Brennan to create a new banana dessert for a dinner honoring Richard Foster, a civic leader who chaired the New Orleans Crime Commission and was a close friend of the Brennan family.
Ella recalled her mother's simple breakfast preparation of bananas sautéed in butter and brown sugar. Inspired by that memory, the team elevated the dish with rum and banana liqueur, setting the mixture ablaze tableside for dramatic effect. The result was an instant sensation. Owen named the creation after his guest of honor, and it rapidly became — and remains — the single most requested item on Brennan's menu. Today, the restaurant flames roughly 35,000 pounds of bananas each year in preparation of this legendary dessert. Bananas Foster has since traveled the world, appearing on fine-dining menus from New York to Paris, yet it remains most closely associated with the spirited culinary culture of New Orleans.
Bananas Foster
Mise en Place
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Ripe bananas | 4 each | Peeled, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise (16 pieces) |
| Unsalted butter | ¼ cup (½ stick) | Cut into tablespoon-size pats |
| Dark brown sugar | 1 cup, packed | Measured and set in prep bowl |
| Ground cinnamon | ½ teaspoon | Measured and combined with brown sugar |
| Banana liqueur | ¼ cup | Measured into a small pitcher |
| Dark rum | ½ cup | Measured into a separate small pitcher |
| Vanilla bean ice cream | 4 scoops | Scooped into serving bowls, held in freezer |
Time on Task
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Gather and prep all mise en place | 10 minutes |
| Melt butter, dissolve sugar & cinnamon | 2 minutes |
| Add banana liqueur and cook bananas | 2 minutes |
| Add rum and flambé | 2 minutes |
| Plate and serve over ice cream | 2 minutes |
| Total Active Time | 18 minutes |
Method
Peel bananas; slice each lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise to yield 16 pieces. Measure butter, brown sugar with cinnamon, banana liqueur, and dark rum into individual prep bowls. Scoop ice cream into four serving dishes and return them to the freezer. Lay out your flambé pan or heavy 12-inch skillet, a long-handled wooden spoon, and a long match or butane lighter.
Set the flambé pan over medium heat. Add the butter pats and let them melt completely. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Stir gently with the wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves into a smooth, bubbling caramel sauce.
Stir the banana liqueur into the sauce. Carefully lay the banana pieces in the pan in a single layer. Cook without disturbing for about one minute, then gently spoon sauce over the tops until the bananas soften and begin to brown at the edges.
Pour the dark rum into the pan. Allow it to warm for a few seconds, then carefully tilt the pan toward the flame to ignite — or touch a long match to the surface of the liquid. The rum will produce a warm, dramatic flame. Let the fire burn naturally until it subsides; this cooks off the alcohol while leaving the smoky depth of the rum in the sauce.
Retrieve the ice cream bowls from the freezer. Using a spoon, lift four banana pieces onto each scoop of ice cream. Ladle the warm caramel-rum sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately while the contrast of cold ice cream and hot sauce is at its peak.
Grocery Shopping List — Bananas Foster for 4
Produce
- 4 ripe bananas (yellow with light brown speckles)
Dairy & Frozen
- Unsalted butter — ¼ cup (½ stick)
- Premium vanilla bean ice cream — 1 pint
Baking & Spices
- Dark brown sugar — 1 cup
- Ground cinnamon — ½ teaspoon
Spirits & Liqueurs
- Dark rum (Gosling's Black Seal or Mount Gay Eclipse) — ½ cup
- Banana liqueur (Giffard Banane du Brésil or Bols) — ¼ cup
Ready for a tableside flambé at your next celebration?
Personal Chef Robert L. Gorman creates bespoke fine-dining menus for holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, and intimate gatherings throughout Westport, Weston, Fairfield, Darien, New Canaan, Greenwich, and greater Fairfield County.
Robert@RobertLGorman.com | 602-370-5255 | www.RobertLGorman.com