The Upgrade That Makes Your Banana Splits Worthy Of A State Fair Award

You may make your way to the state fair come summertime (when cold recipes reign) for the exhilarating rides or the adorable animals, but we all know the real reason you're there: the greasy, mouthwatering food. With one upgrade, you can bring the state fair flair to your own plate. This summer, try using a fried banana in your banana split.

A fried banana makes for the ultimate banana split upgrade for a number of reasons. Banana splits are a treasured dessert but they are not, by and large, very complex in terms of flavor. It's sweet on sweet on sweet, with a little salty jolt courtesy of the peanuts. But the breading of a deep-fried banana can add another savory component to the sweet-dominated banana split. In addition to the dynamic flavor addition that the fried banana brings, it's also an opportunity for a textural boon. Ensuring that the fried banana is crisp is key to liven up the softer textures of ice cream and whipped cream. And it's not only breaded bananas that can add an exciting consistency to your dish. Pan-fried bananas — coated in just a little sugar to achieve an appealing crispness — are yet another way to wake up your typical sleepy banana split.

The first step to achieving this state-fair-worthy split is to fry your bananas, and with this first step comes a choice. Do you want deep-fried bananas or a shallow fry? Tasting Table's deep-fried bananas recipe offers a quick, easy, and dangerously delicious recipe for frying banana nickels; the batter here can easily be tweaked to accommodate more savory tastes. Utilize this method rather than a whole banana if you don't quite have the setup for frying a whole banana. If you're willing to go all-in, you'll need a large stockpot in which to fry your whole bananas until golden brown.

The alternative to these battered, deep-fried delicacies is no less appealing. Execute shallow-fried bananas by first cutting them lengthwise, coating them entirely in sugar (either brown sugar or white will do, depending on your tastes), and frying them in butter or oil for just a few minutes until they develop a crispy crust and a golden brown color. With endless ways to customize fried bananas, let this state fair-inspired treat be the jumping-off point for even more delicious experimentation.