Banana Heaven Recipes

Steps:

• For the bread and syrup: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet until they start to dry and harden, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Raise the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Meanwhile, to make the syrup, add the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, rum, vanilla and cinnamon to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• For the custard: Whisk together the heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, rum, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl. Add the bread, pecans and half of the syrup and stir until completely coated (reserve the other half of the syrup for later). Cover and let soak for about 30 minutes, pushing the bread down occasionally so that all the cubes are soaked.
• Thinly slice 4 of the bananas and fold into the bread mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until the custard is set and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
• Thinly slice the remaining banana and scatter on top of the bread. Drizzle with the reserved syrup. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold with ice cream, if desired.

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 8x4x2 inch bread pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer or a medium-size bowl, beat together sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy, then add eggs and bananas (I like to mix the eggs and bananas in a blender beforehand), beating well. Next, mix in the dry ingredients and then add the raisins and chocolate chips. Mix well, then pour batter into the loaf pan. Scatter the walnuts on top of the batter in the pan. (The bread turns out really pretty if you use walnut halves.)
• Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes, or until it tests done. (If the top is getting too dark during baking, cover it with aluminum foil for the last part of the baking process.) Cool in pan for ten minutes. Remove from pan. Cool. For easier slicing, wrap and store overnight. (If you can resist that long...I never can.) Enjoy!

Steps:

• Beat egg until fluffy. Add milk and oil/melted butter. Add vanilla.
• In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
• Take bananas out of skin and cut into very small pieces (1/2"). They do not have to be perfect, and do not worry about then getting a bit "mashed".
• Add dry ingredients gradually to egg mixture.
• Add cut bananas (and toasted nuts, optional).
• In a non-stick 8-10" skillet, heat pan to medium. Pan is ready when water dances on surface.
• Pour batter in pan using ladle or pitcher, forming a pancake approx 4-5" wide.
• When the edges start looking a little "matte" and the pancake is bubbly, flip. When you see steam start "wisping" from the edges of the pancake, it is done.
• Top with syrup (mix ingredients above and heat in microwave for 30-45 seconds), whipped cream, or more bananas and nuts.

Steps:

• Place butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a sauté pan and heat on high - when butter is partially melted add 1 whole banana - split lengthwise then cross wise (4 pieces) and orange juice - heat until butter and sugar are melted and sauce is bubbling - CAREFULLY add Spiced Rum (we use Capt Morgans) - carefully tilt pan so rum ignites - Pour over a slice of banana bread and top with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.