Pressure Cooker Bananas

By JimMac

Everyone loves banana baked goods. We designed this technique to elevate your favorite recipes.

No more waiting for bananas to turn rotten and attract fruit flies. We actually start with firm, under-ripe bananas, and infuse them under pressure with butter, sugar, and salt, for a super-flavorful end product that's complex and delicious in any baked good. Beautiful dark caramelization develops because of the added baking soda, which raises the alkaline level in the banana, and accelerates the Maillard reaction.

Cook into breads and muffins, or get creative! Puree for banana cream pie filling, eat 'em whole with vanilla ice cream, or freeze, dip in chocolate, and roll in chopped peanuts! Mmmm.

(Note: Overripe bananas will not work for this technique—they'll yield a mushy end product that runs the risk of burning on the bottom of the pressure cooker.)

Ingredients

• Banana, underripe, peeled
• 1000 g Butter, unsalted
• 200 g Sugar
• 100 g Water
• 100 g Salt
• 5 g Baking soda

Details

Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Slice bananas 2.5 cm thick

Combine ingredients in pressure cooker.

Warm on low to melt butter, and stir to dissolve dry ingredients.


Add banana slices in one layer


Cook 15 min

Bring pressure cooker to full pressure, then lower the heat to maintain pressure.

Cook for 15 minutes. Every 5 minutes, shake the pressure cooker to prevent burning.


Let pressure release naturally


Flip bananas, and cook 15 min. Use a small spoon to turn bananas.

Return pressure cooker to full pressure, and cook for 15 more minutes.

Remove from heat, and allow pressure cooker to depressurize naturally.


Let bananas cool, and reserve for desired use.

Storing: To keep bananas' shape, store in a single layer on a tray, covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge.