Cherries Jubilee and Bananas Foster

 

Recipe

BACK

Bananas Foster and Cherries Jubilee

Episode 64

Ingredients

  

Bananas Foster

  • 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup banana liqueur
  • 4 firm-ripe bananas, peeled, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise
  • 1/4 cup amber rum, such as Old New Orleans or Goslings
  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Preparation

  • In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until moist, about 1 minute. Add the banana liqueur and cook, stirring continuously, until the grainy texture disappears and the mixture rolls off the spoon in a steady stream, 1 to 2 minutes. Put the banana quarters rounded side down in the pan. Cook until the bananas begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the bananas onto their flat sides. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the rum. Set the pan over high heat and carefully ignite the rum with a long match or grill lighter. Gently shake the pan until the flame subsides. Remove from the heat.Place a generous scoop of ice cream in 6 to 8 individual heatproof dessert bowls. Arrange 2 to 3 pieces of sautéed banana around each scoop of ice cream. Spoon on the sauce and serve immediately.

 

Cherries Jubilee

  • 1 pound fresh ripe sweet cherries, cleaned and pitted
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • ⅓ cup cherry brandy (Kirsch) or rum
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

  • Wash and pit the cherries (leave whole.) Place the cherries in a flameproof skillet large enough to fit the fruits in a single layer. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover the pan and heat on medium-low until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
  • Uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until the cherries are juicy and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
  • Slide the pan off the heat and add the Kirsch. Ignite the alcohol with a utility lighter or long fireplace match. Quickly move the skillet back onto the burner and gently shake and swirl until the flames subside, about 30-45 seconds.
  • Remove from the heat and serve immediately spooned over vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator.