Baked Rum Bananas

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Meyer's dark rum, plus
• 1/8 cup Meyer's dark rum
• 4 large bananas
• 1 tablespoon butter
• vanilla ice cream (to serve)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 450°F Place brown sugar, orange juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup rum in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until sugar is melted. Remove from heat.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, peel bananas and cut them in half crosswise, then lengthwise, forming 4 pieces from each banana. Place bananas in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour hot rum mixture over bananas. Dot bananas with tiny bits of butter, about 3 dots per banana slice. (You can make dessert up to this point just before dinner, cover, and keep at room temperature until entree course is finished.).

3. 3

   Bake bananas 10 minutes, uncovered, basting with rum mixture occasionally. Sprinkle remaining 1/8 cup rum over bananas and bake 5 minutes more.

4. 4

   TO SERVE: Divide bananas among 4 dinner plates or shallow dessert bowls. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

5. 5

   NOTE: If you can find baby finger bananas in your local supermarket, use them instead of ordinary bananas. They are much more flavorful. Cut each finger banana in half lengthwise. Allow 2 finger bananas per person.