Fried Bananas with Cinnamon Whiskey Cream Cheese Dip

Lightly battered and deep fried bananas are always a delight. Served with cinnamon whiskey-infused cream cheese dip, they are tasty little treats that will leave you wanting more. 

What can I say about bananas? They are a staple at my house. They are one of the most versatile fruits there is. Among other things, they can be used to make banana-based ice cream, to add to smoothies, and to add to all sorts of baked goods. Of course, you can eat them straight up, which is what I usually do. 

Based on my previous post and this current one, you might get the impression that I’m frying up a frenzy in my kitchen all the time. It’s not true at all. I go for weeks and months without frying, but there are times when I want to splurge, I’ll go all in! 

Lightly battered and fried bananas top my list of the most delicious ways to use the fruit. Cooking brings out all of its natural sugars. The combination of the velvety smooth banana and the light and crispy coating is a gustatory delight. Then, to top it off with a cinnamon whiskey-infused cream cheese dip… all I can say is I hit hard on the test samples!!

If you are serving the dip to anyone under the drinking age, use milk instead of alcohol. I assure you, the dip is delicious without the whiskey.

When I worked on perfecting the batter, I used different combinations of flour. Plus, some batches were made with eggs while others were without. Using 100% rice flour, I found no eggs produced the best result. The coating was the lightest and crispest. It had great texture and chew. Additionally, using all rice flour yielded more consistent and reliable batter than ones with only all-purpose or a combination of all-purpose and rice flour. With a/p flour, there is a gluten factor…over-mixing produces gluten, which toughens the batter. Since this recipe has only rice flour, gluten is not a factor and over-mixing will not be disastrous.

Every time I make these little treats, I get two thumbs up from my gang. All my husband can say is, “I love fried bananas!” as he eats them. Plus, because rice flour is used, these tasty little morsels are something that my gluten-free friends can also enjoy! (Note: most whiskey contains less than 20 ppm gluten content and is classified as gluten-free, but it’s your call to omit or substitute based on your gluten sensitivity.)

That’s it for now, friends! Have a great week! And happy fal,l everyone!!

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Fried Bananas with Cinnamon Whiskey Cream Cheese Dip

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Frying Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert Recipe Keys: F Fruit F Frying

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories: kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

Lightly battered and deep fried bananas are always a delight. Served with cinnamon whiskey-infused cream cheese dip, they are tasty little treats that will leave you wanting more. 

Ingredients

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cold club soda
• large bowl of ice to keep batter cold
• vegetable oil for deep frying

For the cream cheese dip:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon whiskey (I use Fireball) 
• 1/16 scant teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat a  9-inch frying pan with 1-inch of oil to 350° F.
2. Peel and slice bananas at a 45-degree angle to create oblong slices about 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.
3. Combine rice flour, sugar, cinnamon, and club soda in wide bowl. Use a fork to gently blend until just combined. The batter should be able to run through the tines of a fork but thick enough to lightly coat a slice of banana. If batter is too thin, add small amount of flour, if too thick, add a tiny splash of club soda. Place the bowl of batter over a larger bowl filled with ice to keep batter cold while working.
4. Place 6 to 7 banana slices into the batter. Coat the banana with batter. Use a fork to lift the slices. Gently drop each slice, one at a time, into the oil. Fry until the batter is lightly golden, about 3 to 4 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through. Adjust the heat setting as necessary if the banana cooks too quickly or too slowly. 
5. Transfer the cooked slices onto a paper towel-lined platter. Continue coating and frying the remaining bananas. Assemble the dip while the banana slices cool slightly.
6. To make the dip, combine cream cheese, whiskey, cinnamon, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix until smooth. 
7. Immediately serve fried bananas with dip. 
8. Makes about 30 pieces.

Notes:

• The carbonation in the club soda contributes to a light batter. If substituting water for club soda, add 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt to 1/2 cup of rice flour.
• The batter should be loose enough to flow through the tines of a fork but thick enough to coat the bananas. If it thickens while you work, add a little splash of club soda to thin out.
• Use ripe bananas. Underripe ones will not fry up as sweet. If using underriped bananas, increase sugar to 2 teaspoons.
• Use ice-cold water in the batter. This also contributes to a crispy coating. Keep the batter bowl over ice while working to maintain temperature.
• Maintaining a constant oil temperature also helps produce a crispy coating. Do not overcrowd the frying pan with bananas. Adjust the heat setting if needed to maintain a constant temperature.
• Although whiskey is classified as gluten-free, omit if you have severe gluten sensitivity. Substitute with milk.

Keywords:Fried Bananas, Cinnamon Whiskey, Cheese Dip, Banana

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