METHOD
Make the whipped cream. Whisk 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar until fluffy. Guard it with your life, because everybody will try to sneak a taste while you cook.
For the French toast, whisk together the egg, cream, water and salt. Protip: You can make this mixture ahead and keep it in a jar in your fridge if you’re short on prep space. Soak your bread in the mixture. For bonus points, use bread that’s a little stale. It’ll soak more of the mixture.
Place an 8” cast-iron pan on the coals of the fire, and add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Wait until it’s hot, and then sear your French toast. Plate.
Peel the bananas and cut them lengthwise. Slice each half into four, for a total of sixteen pieces.
In a medium cast-iron over coals, melt the butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Test by dipping a spoon in the sauce. When it’s ready, it’ll coat the back.
Add the bananas, hazelnuts and dried cherries to the sauce, and then toss them until they are coated. Remove the pan from heat. (Optional: pour in the rum. Carefully place the pan back on the heat and step back, as it may jump up in flames. It’s super important to remove the pan from the fire before adding the alcohol. Rum is flammable, and you’ll look goofy without any eyebrows. But do it right, and you’ll get the “oohs” and “ahhs” you deserve.)
Cook for three more minutes. You’re looking for the flames to burn out and the bananas to be tender.
Pour over French toast and add whipped cream.
Chow down.
*When working on the coals of the fire, you can use a long match stick to sort of help the process along and ignite the alcohol from the bananas foster sauce. No judgment here.
Yields 2 servings.
