This not too sweet crumble has warm tender bananas wrapped in a silky warm spice scented caramel with a nutty crisp topping.

Bananas Foster Crumble

Serves 2

My first time having bananas foster was in a Senior kitchen in Culinary School. They took the form of crepes prepared by the chef instructor. From that time, I’ve pretty much only ever made bananas foster just as Chef Gliber did, wrapped in crepes and topped with the sweet, boozy syrup.

This particular iteration of bananas foster comes out of my favorite humans’ desire to learn simple desserts he can make for us on his own. He had an idea for cooked bananas and I simply refined it into this simple crumble which he was very happy with.

The resulting crumble is not too sweet and has tender bananas wrapped in a silky warm spice scented caramel. The gently spiced crumble and ice cream really round out the dessert adding a gentle crisp and nuttiness as well as a rich creaminess and cold contrast to the warm bananas.

Ingredients

Crumble

33g (0.25 c) old fashioned rolled oats

33g (0.25 c) AP flour

30g (2 T) dark brown sugar

8g (1 T) whole wheat flour

1g (0.25 t) kosher salt

15g (2 T) pecan halves, chopped

Heaped 1/8 t ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground clove

30ml (2 T) coconut oil, melted and cooled

1g (0.25 t) vanilla extract

Filling

30g (2 T) dark brown sugar

15g (1 T) white sugar

0.25 t ground cinnamon

0.25 t kosher salt

1/8 t ground nutmeg

*24ml (2 T) soju or rum or bourbon

1g (0.25 t) vanilla extract

600g (3) bananas, sliced 0.25 in thick

14g (1 T) butter, cut into 16 pieces, plus more for the pan 

Finishing

Ice cream

Fresh sliced bananas

Recipe Know-how

1.      In a bowl, combine the crumble dry ingredients well with a fork.

• Mix the vanilla into the coconut oil and pour over the dry ingredients.

• Mix with the fork until large crumbs form.

• Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

2.      Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F.

• Rub a 15.5 x 15.5 cm (6 x 6 in) baking pan with 1 t of butter and set aside.

• Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a 1/4 sheet pan and set aside.

3.      In a small bowl, combine the sugars with the filling dry ingredients mixing well and set aside

• In a small bowl, combine the alcohol with the vanilla extract and set aside.

• Place a layer of banana slices on the bottom of the prepared pan filing in the gaps as necessary.

• Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the sugar mixture and dot with 4 pieces of the butter.

• Continue layering the bananas, sugar and butter until it has all been used ending with sugar and butter.

You can mound the filling and crumble in the pan some as the filling will shrink considerably while baking.

• Pour the alcohol over the finished filling.

• Break apart the chilled crumble and place on top.

• Place the pan on the prepared baking sheet.

• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the crumble is browned on top and the juices from the banana are bubbling around the edges.

• Cool for 10 minutes.

4.      Serve topped with scoops of ice cream and fresh banana slices.