Bake Bananas In Brown Sugar For An Incredibly Simple And Satisfying Dessert

Sometimes the best treats are the uncomplicated ones. Desserts shine in their simplicity, the scaled-back ingredients peeking through without the fear of being overshadowed. While a two-ingredient dish may not sound like it'd be that incredible, all you need is bananas and brown sugar for a truly satisfying treat.

From banana cream pie to banana pudding, there is a laundry list of recipes that show off this fruit's range. Yet nothing showcases its already incredible flavor more than just a dash of sugar. Bananas are excellent when caramelized since the heat causes their sweetness to develop even more. The brown sugar is there to help out this process while also imbuing the fruit with a deep, toffee-like taste. In the oven, sugar is quick to caramelize so it'll give the bananas a nice, evenly browned crust.

For the fruit to hold up in the oven, you'll need ones that are just on the precipice of ripeness. They don't need to be green, but they shouldn't have any soft, mushy spots either. As the oven preheats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, roll the bananas around in the sugar. To help it to stick better, you can coat them in melted butter beforehand. After around 15 minutes, they should be thoroughly caramelized.

Beyond the brown sugar, you can flavor the bananas with spices that further bring out their depth. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves add a warm, earthy layer of flavor to the fruit while also highlighting its sweetness. Mix the spices with the brown sugar or add them to the melted butter before brushing it onto the bananas. To bring a fiery side to the fruit, opt for powdered ginger.

For a topping that's equally sweet and spicy, choose candied ginger instead. The chewy treat goes beautifully with brown sugar bananas, as do chopped nuts. Toast some almonds, walnuts, or pecans and finely chop them up before sprinkling them onto the cooked fruit to emphasize the nuttiness while downplaying the dessert's more saccharine side.

If you want the bananas to be purely sweet though, a dash of caramel or chocolate will do the trick. Whip up some salted caramel sauce or melt down bits of milk and dark chocolate on the stove to drizzle over them, along with a dash of flaky sea salt. For a dessert and nightcap in one, use vanilla or white chocolate boozy whipped cream and finish off the treat with some cinnamon chips.