Your favorite cinnamon-infused French toast with a sweet spin that will make you go bananas!
You know how when you’re on vacation, you’ll find yourself ordering food that you wouldn’t typically order in your everyday life? For me, bananas Foster is absolutely that dish. The first time I ever had it was when my family was vacationing in South Africa. We were in a restaurant, and the table next to us ordered the bananas Foster for dessert. A chef wheeled out a small cart and set a pan of bananas on fire, drawing many oohs and aahs from the crowd, before pouring it onto dishes of ice cream. Intrigued by the dramatic flambé presentation and tempted by the sweet scent of the buttery rum sauce, my table decided to order it as well, and many other tables quickly followed suit.
This dish captures the same dreamy flavors of bananas Foster in classic French toast. It’s exactly the kind of dish that’s easy enough to whip up for an everyday breakfast or brunch, but has an elevated, fancy vacation-food type of feel. Alongside the French toast flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, and butter, you also get golden bananas laced with brown sugar and rich dark rum. The bananas are sautéed to caramelized perfection and served on top of fluffy, custardy toast. It’s sweet, it’s sticky (in a good way), and it’s irresistibly delicious!
Bring this dish to your next brunch gathering, and you’re sure to be the star of the party.
Is Bananas Foster French Toast Healthy?
Since this decadent breakfast is based on a dessert recipe, it’s not the healthiest option out there. It is, however, the perfect treat for a special occasion and offers a small amount of egg protein, potassium, and some carbs.
While this recipe is vegetarian, you can also make it dairy-free by substituting the half-and-half with a plant-based milk like coconut, oat, or almond milk and using a dairy-free butter and whipped cream. If you’d like to make it fully vegan, you could substitute the eggs with five tablespoons of cornstarch (see this Vegan French Toast recipe for reference). You’ll also need to make sure you’re using vegan brioche, in that case. Additionally, you can make this dish gluten-free by substituting a gluten-free bread for the brioche slices.
What Exactly Is Bananas Foster?
It’s a classic American dessert that is often prepared tableside and consists of sliced bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, which are flambéed with rum (and sometimes banana liqueur). The warm, caramelized bananas are then served over vanilla ice cream.
Bananas Foster was first created in 1951 at Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans. It was named after Richard Foster, who was the chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission and a guest of honor at the restaurant the night it was first served. Since New Orleans was a major import site for bananas at that time, it is believed the dish was conceived when the chef at Brennan’s was challenged to come up with a dish that promoted bananas.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
While Bananas Foster French toast is best served hot and fresh, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To keep the French toast from getting overly soggy, it’s best to store the banana topping separately in its own container, keeping in mind that the bananas will soften and brown over time. I don’t recommend freezing any leftovers, as the bread and bananas will likely become too mushy upon thawing.
Serving Suggestions
While bananas Foster French toast stands strong and sweet on its own, you can also pair it with lighter breakfast fare to balance out the meal, such as an Açaí Smoothie, Chia Seeds In Yogurt (also known as chia pudding), or a fresh Fruit Salad.
Some chefs also like to top their French toast with a swirl of whipped cream or a pat of butter. If you really want to indulge, try topping it with Chocolate Whipped Cream or Strawberry Whipped Cream. And if you want to keep the boozy brunch theme going, serve your French toast with some mimosas!
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 slices brioche bread about 1-inch thick
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing skillet
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 3 ripe bananas sliced
- 1/4 cup dark rum optional
- Whipped cream for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
- Dip each slice of brioche bread into the egg mixture, allowing each side to soak for about 30 seconds.
- Over medium heat, melt enough butter to coat a large skillet. Cook the soaked bread slices until golden brown on each side, about 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate.
- In the same skillet, melt 1/3 cup butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling.
- Add the sliced bananas to the skillet and cook until they are caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully add rum to the skillet (optional). If using, ignite the rum with a long match or lighter to flambé. Cook until the flames subside.
- Serve the French toast topped with bananas, sauce, and whipped cream if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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