Bananas Foster

Ingredients

• 4 firm-ripe bananas (yellow with no spots)
• 80 g unsalted butter
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 4 tablespoons banana liqueur (or extra dark rum)
• 6 tablespoons dark rum

To serve

• 4 generous scoops vanilla ice cream

Method

Stage 1 - Prep bananas

1. Peel each banana; cut in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise. You'll have 4 spears per banana.

Stage 2 - Caramel base

1. Melt the butter in a wide heavy pan over medium heat (don't use non-stick; you need to flambé).
2. Add the brown sugar; stir to dissolve.
3. Cook 2 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened.

Stage 3 - Bananas

1. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg; stir.
2. Lay the banana spears in the pan, cut-side down.
3. Cook 90 seconds; flip carefully; cook another 60 seconds.

Stage 4 - Banana liqueur

1. Pour the banana liqueur into the pan; stir to coat.
2. The bananas should be just-tender - about to lose their shape but not yet collapsed.

Stage 5 - Flambé

1. Pour the dark rum carefully into the pan.
2. With long matches, ignite - at the surface - and stand back.
3. The flames will burn 30-60 seconds; let them die naturally.
4. The remaining sauce will be slightly reduced and intense.

Stage 6 - Serve

1. Place a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream in each bowl.
2. Spoon over the bananas with their syrup, dividing evenly.
3. The hot syrup melts the ice cream; the bananas hold soft.
4. Eat immediately.