Banana Bread Pudding With Banana Rum Sauce

BANANA RUM SAUCE
2/3 c Unsalted butter,
-room temperature
1/2 c Packed light brown sugar
6 lg Ripe bananas, quartered
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
3 tb Dark rum
2 tb Banana liqueur
1/2 ts Pure vanilla extract

Chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen’s Restaurant in Uptown New Orleans is a
fantastic cross between the classic bread pudding and Bananas Foster, the
great flaming bananas and ice cream dessert.

Preheat the oven to 300F. Put the French bread pieces into a 9x12x2 inch
baking pan. In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, 2/3 cup
of sugar, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla until
smooth. Pour this mixture over the French bread pieces. Fold in the raisins
and the pecans and let the mixture set for 20 minutes. Top with small
pieces of the butter.

Cover the pudding with aluminum foil and place the pan into a larger pan.
Add warm water to a depth of 1 inch in the larger pan. Bake for 1 hour.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until set.

In a deep, medium bowl, whisk the cream just until it begins to thicken.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Continue
whisking unti soft peaks form. Cover and chill.

Banana Rum Sauce Heat a large saute pan or skillet over low heat. Add the
butter, sugar, bananas, cinnamon and nutmeg. Moving the skillet back and
forth, cook until the butter and sugar become creamy and the bananas begin
to soften, about one minute. Remove the skillet from heat and add the rum
and the liqueur. Return the pan to the heat. Tilt the pan, avert your face
and and light the liquid with a long match. Shake the skillet until the
flames subside. Add the vanilla, remove from heat and keep warm.