The other day, I was talking to a friend about favorite childhood desserts and I mentioned bubble bread. He didn't know what I was talking about and I wondered if it was a regionalism or if it was one of the many treats I enjoyed as a kid that tended to end up in the homes of thrifty parents. Whether they were struggling to make ends meet or trying to save all the extra pennies for an upcoming project, little balls of dough rolled in a sugary mix and baked with the makings of a gooey sauce made for an inexpensive dessert that would never bring about complaints from the peanut gallery!
This bananas foster-inspired version involves a rum-laced caramel sauce and, of course, bananas. Using a can of biscuits means not having to thaw frozen dough or make your own from scratch, but you could do either of those instead. I like this version because it's quick and easy and that's a big part of the appeal. Hmm. Pun not intended, but I am a bit proud of it anyway!
Get a very rich, creamy vanilla ice cream for this one. You want it to melt a little and puddle around the caramel, pastry, and fruit. I mean, you're already digging into a spiked caramel sauce. Now is not the time for low calorie thoughts. Just dig in and enjoy!
Bananas Foster Bubble Bread
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 T. cinnamon
- 1 can flaky biscuits
- 4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup caramel sauce (choose your favorite premade variety or make your own)
- 3 T. dark rum (feel free to skip if you don't want to use alcohol or have already used it when making homemade caramel)
- Pinch salt
- Vanilla ice cream
In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Mix until combined then set aside for later. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Spray an 8x8" glass baking dish with cooking spray. Using a sharp knife or pair of kitchen shears, cut the biscuits into 6 evenly-sized pieces each. Roll the dough in the sugar and cinnamon mixture and toss into the prepared baking dish. Between adding each cut biscuit step, add some sliced bananas to the dish as well. Continue with this process until all of the biscuit dough and slices of banana are used.
Miix the caramel sauce, rum (if using), and salt in a dish. Pour generously and evenly over the top of the baking dish.
Bake until the top of the dessert is golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 50 minutes