Our Recipes

Banana Bread Pudding

NOTES:

Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Toffee Sauce

Banana bread pudding is a delectable new way to use up slightly ripened bananas and day-old bread. As an alternative to your go-to quick bread, this custard-based recipe — with all of the same flavors as its namesake — is an excellent brunch or dessert option for using up aging bananas. Although it is exceptional on its own, a warm rum toffee sauce makes it even more decadent.

Tips for Making Banana Bread Pudding

  • Use bananas that are slightly mottled with brown spots. These bananas are full of great banana flavor, but won’t fall apart when sliced. In this recipe, two mashed bananas are incorporated into the milk custard, while the remaining banana is sliced and dotted on top of the bread pudding. Adding the banana slices before baking gives the sugar a chance to caramelize, creating a caramel-like flavor in your final dessert. The addition of dark rum gives the dish a bananas Foster vibe, which is accentuated by the rum toffee sauce.
  • Beginning the toffee sauce with dark brown sugar cuts down on cooking time dramatically and makes this boozy topping easier to make. Use a quality dark Jamaican rum, like Meyer’s, for the tastiest results.

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the banana bread pudding:
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large yellow bananas, mottled with brown flecks, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
3 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (1-pound) loaf day-old French bread
For the rum toffee sauce:
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/4 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, cut 1/2 stick unsalted butter into a few pieces and place in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted, about 20 seconds. Transfer 2 teaspoons to a 9×13-inch baking dish and brush to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside the remaining melted butter.

Make the banana custard:

Place 1 cup packed dark brown sugar then add 2 of the large bananas in a large bowl. Mash the bananas into the sugar with a fork until mostly smooth with no large chunks. Add the reserved melted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, if using. Mix with the fork until you have a thick paste.

Add 3 cups whole milk, 2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, 1/4 cup dark rum, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until well-combined, about 1 minute.