Make Ahead

Bananas Foster Creme Brulee

March 27, 2018
4.6
5 Ratings
Photo by Ben Johnson
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

I work in the fitness industry, helping food lovers be fit. But not the way most people think. Instead of strange pseudo-recipes full of supplements and tasteless, I help people enjoy real food and delicious flavor while they lose fat.

Fact: You don’t have to sacrifice your favorite foods in the name of fitness. Problem is, most people don’t realize this.

The world deserves to know that they can enjoy great food and better fitness. That’s why the recipes I create are full of real food and packed with flavor, like this Bananas Foster Creme Brulee.

It’s the classic delicacy you expect from creme brulee, topped with the excitement of New Orleans in bananas foster. A fun finish to a timeless treat. —Ben Johnson

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Creme Brulee Base
  • 5 Egg yolks
  • 1 Whole egg
  • 3 cups Heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • Bananas Foster and Brulee
  • 2 Large bananas
  • 2 tablespoons Salted butter
  • 4 teaspoons Dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • 4 ounces Dark rum (80 proof or higher)
  • 1/4 cup Granulated sugar (to brulee)
Directions
  1. Creme Brulee Base
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Separate 5 egg yolks from whites and place in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 whole egg and ½ c sugar and mix by hand or on low with a stand mixer (paddle attachment). Mix only until the sugar and eggs are combined, then stop.
  4. Over medium heat, scald 3 cups of heavy cream in a saucepan. Stir occasionally and remove from heat when the cream is just shy of boiling.
  5. While slowly stirring, gradually add the scalded cream to your egg and sugar mixture. Be careful to keep from adding too much too quickly as this could cook the eggs.
  6. Continue slowly stirring and add ~1 tsp vanilla extract. Stop stirring once the vanilla is well mixed. Evenly distribute the mixture between 6 five-ounce ramekins.
  7. To prepare for the water bath, arrange the ramekins in a deep baking pan. Add hot water to the pan, filling until the water line is roughly halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be sure to keep water from getting into your mixture while you pour. Bake at 300 degrees for 35–40 minutes. When finished, the creme brulee base should have a semi-set gentle giggle.
  8. Remove pan from oven and ramekins from water bath. Allow them to cool a bit before placing in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set the custard. This is the base of your Bananas Foster Creme Brulee. You can make your creme brulee base a day or two in advance and keep refrigerated until you’re ready to finish with the bananas foster and bruleed tops.
  1. Bananas Foster and Brulee
  2. Slice bananas into circles that are about a quarter inch in thickness. Set aside.
  3. In a large pan or skillet melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir to combine.
  4. Add banana slices to the pan in a single, flat layer. Saute until the bananas begin to caramelize, then flip.
  5. Add vanilla extract and a light dusting of cinnamon. Mix, without flipping the bananas, to fully incorporate and evenly distribute.
  6. Carefully pour rum into the pan. Continue cooking until the rum is hot. Then, slightly tilt the pan to ignite the rum and finish off the bananas foster. When flames subside, you’re ready to brulee. Note: Keep your hair and face out of the literal line of fire when igniting the rum.
  7. Remove the ramekins full of your creme brulee base from the refrigerator and top with an even layer of bananas from the bananas foster. Cover as evenly and completely as possible, cutting bananas as needed.
  8. Evenly cover the bananas in each ramekin with ~2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Brulee with a cooking torch on low to medium heat, moving in small circles until the sugar is completely melted, caramelized, and crispy. You want the bruleed sugar to be dark brown, not completely burned. Chill for a few minutes before serving and enjoying your Bananas Foster Creme Brulee.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Ben Johnson
    Ben Johnson
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2 Reviews

Corinnenatalie March 5, 2021
Hello can anyone tell me where the spoons in this photo are from ? I absolutely need some lol
 
Ben J. March 6, 2021
I wish I had an answer. I got the spoon as a gift that was custom-made. Another one says cereal killer haha.