Serves: 2
Cost: ~€0.70
Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes
Calories: ~273 per 1.5 bananas, not including cream or butter
I’m almost certain these have a name – I mean a “proper” name; something like “Bananas Foster” (and no, that’s not these) but looking around online I was unable to find any specific title for this dish, so I just called it by what it is. I should add as well for my American readers that when I say “grilled”, I really mean that in the English sense of the word, since I believe most of you call it the broiler, right? “Broiled bananas” really doesn’t sound good to me… I have an image in my mind of a poor little banana being burnt to a crisp and that wouldn’t really do at all!
No, these bananas are grilled (from above) and they rock! As with the oat-rolled cookies I posted some time ago this is one of those dishes that we used to eat a lot at home when I was little. It’s just perfect because if you’ve had a good, satisfying Sunday lunch but you’re just hankering after something a little bit sweet, and you don’t want to spend yet another hour or so in the kitchen then you can whip these up in less than ten minutes. We always called them “flambéed bananas” because they do have many of the elements that flambéed bananas might have, but they’re made in a more simple way, and actually without any flambéing, which is probably just as well since big flames aren’t always a good idea in domestic kitchens :D.
They’re an excellent way to use up old, bruised bananas – indeed, I actually recommend you to use the blackest bananas you can find (well, maybe not completely black, but you know what I mean) – since the more ripe the banana, the more delicious the end result. For this dish today I had only “fresh” bananas, at their peak of ripeness, but the results were still good.
It was often my father who would make these. He cooked Sunday lunch a lot as my mother often worked Saturday nights (she was a nurse) so while she was catching up with some sleep he was busy in the kitchen. I actually forgot to add the butter for these. In the past I’d always dot them with butter before grilling, but I actually didn’t miss the butter at all in the end, and it sure makes them healthier, although I have included it in the ingredients in case you want to try it.
Another wonderful addition is a dash of brandy over the top of the bananas and I can heartily recommend this. Serve with cream – either whipped or simply pouring – or even ice-cream and you’ve got yourself a great dessert!
Have a great day folks – see you back here soon :).
Cinnamon Grilled Bananas
Ingredients
- Bananas (around 1 – 1.5 per person)
- Soft brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Lemon juice
- Butter (optional)
Instructions
- Start off by cutting off the tops and bottoms of the bananas, and then slice them in half while they’re still in their peels (this will help prevent them from breaking). Remove the skins and arrange the banana halves in a shallow roasting dish. Sprinkle the tops of the bananas liberally with soft brown sugar and cinnamon and then drizzle with lemon juice. You can optionally dot butter over the bananas as well.
- Place under a hot grill/broiler for about 5 minutes (not too close to the heat source), until the sugar has melted and formed a rich, bubbling syrup around the bananas. Remove from the grill and carefully transfer onto serving plates, being sure to spoon the syrup over the bananas as well. Enjoy with pouring or whipped cream!
Yes with brandy they are the best. I d go for honeybee. =D
No idea what you call them otherwise, I would just say grilled too. I am getting hungry here!
Hi Helene, I find just sometimes a nice squeeze of lemon juice is perfect… especially since it curdles up the cream… yum!
You’re right, they aren’t bananas foster but they’re as good! Might need some ice cream to go with them.
Hi Maureen – no way… pouring cream all the way for me, lol! 😀
A simple dish that I like with ice cream. Yum.
Hi Karen – it’s so simple and fast isn’t it?! Really yummy… hope you’re having a good day 🙂
They look gorgeous, Charles. Grilling, cinnamon and butter. A combination of a simple technique and ingredients to transform a humble banana into the realms of an amazing dessert.
(Shame about that textural issue I’ve got with bananas.) 🙂
Hi A_ – it’s too bad – I love bananas… they’re so nice when “fresh” and when they go all soft and squishy after being grilled it’s a whole different ballgame!
I love grilled bananas and this has inspired me to make some tonight! How have you been? Sorry I’ve been offline for a while – been really busy with life, work and travel!
Hi BA – did you have a chance to enjoy some in the end? It’s a great summer meal – doesn’t take long to make and perfect for after a meal like a barbecue. I’ve been good thanks – I hope you’re enjoying summer 🙂
I do like the look of these, Charles and it’s great that they’re cooked under the griller. I’ve made these by cooking them in the frying pan but I think your method would work a lot better. xx
Hi Charlie – my wife makes them in the frying pan… I must admit I prefer them under the grill. Simpler, and cleaner. If you use some aluminium foil or something, fashioned into a little tray, then there’s no mess!
Yeah, I hate to say it, but you’ve got that totally wrong, my love. The icky lemon juice is optional, the butter is not! Next time, I’ll make them 😉
Next time you can eat your weird lemon-less bananas yourself and I’ll have my next-level gourmet bananas myself 😉
Really my friend!!
I can die for this simple but amazing recipe^^
Thanks SS – it’s so simple and so tasty isn’t it! 🙂
😀
These are lovely broiled bananas 🙂 Aren’t bananas great for that sudden sweet fix? I like to stuff these cinnamon bananas in some crepes topped off with vanilla ice cream.
Nazneen
Hi Nazneen – they’re a wonderful snack when you need a bit of energy and sweetness and indeed, when they’re all soft and cooked like this it’s delicious!
I love that nice caramelization and the cinnamon, delicious!
Mmm yeah… something about caramelized sugar and cinnamon together!
They do, I just can’t remember it. But I like it and make it fro time to time 🙂 So tasty.
It’s a great dessert, breakfast, snack…! 😀
I could definitely eat these for a Sunday brunch! I’ve had bananas a lot of ways, but never grilled. It looks quite delicious!
You have to try it MJ – very nice indeed. Some people make this by frying them but it’s not the same in my opinion!
Now this would be a fun dessert to serve at the end of a gathering. Summertime always seems to lend it’s way to grilling out and why not even take the dessert out to the grill. Great idea! Hot cinnamon bananas On top of some vanilla icecream sounds like a beautiful simple dessert.
Absolutely Bam – You can make a huge batch of these to serve a big party and everyone will love them!
I wish I would have had time to catch up on blogs sooner than today. I just had a few blackened bananas. Bummer. This would have been delicious!!! I love bananas. They have been one of my favorite fruits since childhood. I can just imagine how good these are and I can’t wait to try them. The kids will love them too no doubt. Now I just have to make sure to make enough to share them. 😉
Buy new bananas – throw them on the floor – stomp them a bit – wait for a couple hours… hey presto! A brand new batch of black bananas. And thus you can make the dessert 😉
Oh my gosh! I can see the kids now. They would be all for throwing bananas on the floor!
Have Mr. N go into the backyard and throw it as hard as he can… see if he can make it boomerang 😀
the best way in my opinion to have bananas. I am not a huge fan of them unless they are cooked in some way and i love that you grilled them and used the cinnamon!
They go so squishy and delicious when hot… definitely one of my favourites too 🙂
These look beautiful! Such a glorious caramel colour. I am not a fan of raw bananas but when they are cooked, I love them! What a simple and delicious pud these are. You have reminded me how much a like a cooked banana – I used to do them on the BBQ stuffed with chocolate but I have not done it for ages. Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Anneli – I really learned something today… it seems a lot of people aren’t big fans of raw bananas… I’d have never thought. They’re so delicious (in my opinion at least!) 🙂
What a nice and easy summer dessert! And with a splash of alcohol too 😉 I would probably put some rum which goes so well with bananas… I use broiler all the time and I think it’s a wonderful replacement for a grill if we cannot have it. I often grill chicken breasts like this. They end up juicy and crunchy outside.
Mm, it’s a very versatile cooking method, and to be honest, it’s the only way I make toast. We’ve never had a toaster in my parents’ home. Toast is made under the grill, so one might say I’m definitely accustomed to it 😀
This is almost nearly the same as the Philippine dish called banana cue,love it
Hi Raymund – I’m not even sure if it has a real name over here… it’s tasty though! 🙂
Charles, being an American, I can just picture eating these with ‘a side’ of pancakes- Oh Boy! I’ve lived in Paris at various times to study cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu and will return to there next year.
Hi Fran – side of pancakes… mm, that would be good. My wife’s into making sourdough pancakes right now which are so good!
I love recipes like this one.Quick and easy and they hit the spot with minimum effort!
P.S. I love the new picture on the right with you and your little angel
Thank you Sawsan – I decided it was time to redo my sidebar a bit 🙂
Can you believe it? I have brown spotted bananas right now. I thought of making banana bread with these but this recipe is much simpler! We all need more potassium in our body I think. Great pics and your story is charming.
Thanks Nipponnin – were you able to try it in the end? It’s such a good way to use up old bananas because they’re often less than ideal once they get all spotted and black!