Orange-Glazed Bananas

Bananas might not feel like a serious dessert ingredient until you bake them in butter, orange juice, and a splash of Grand Marnier. The heat softens them just enough so they hold their shape but turn creamy and almost custardy inside, while the glaze reduces around them into a sticky, citrus-spiked syrup.

The finish is what makes it: brown sugar and chopped walnuts sprinkled on for the last few minutes of baking. The sugar melts into the warm pan juices and the walnuts toast in the heat, giving you a brittle, candied crunch on top of the soft fruit underneath.

Serve warm over a scoop of vanilla ice cream so the cold cream melts into the warm syrup, or with a dollop of cold sour cream for a tangier counterpoint.

Pro Tips

• Use just-ripe bananas with yellow skins and small brown spots. Overripe bananas turn to mush in the oven.
• Slice them in half lengthwise and lay them flat-side up. The cut surfaces caramelize where they meet the syrup.
• Baste the bananas every few minutes during the first 10 minutes. The juice reduces faster on the surface, and basting keeps everything glossy.
• Toast the walnuts on the stove for a couple of minutes before adding to the dish. Pre-toasted nuts develop deeper flavor than ones that toast in the pan juices.
• Skip the liqueur if cooking for kids and replace with extra orange juice plus 1 teaspoon of orange zest.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans or sliced almonds for a different nutty profile.
• Use rum instead of orange liqueur and add a pinch of cinnamon for a Caribbean-style version (this is essentially Bananas Foster baked).
• Add a squeeze of lime juice with the orange juice for a brighter, more tropical flavor.