Caramelized Bananas With Pecan-Coconut Crunch Recipe

Original recipe: New York Times Cooking

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE PECAN-COCONUT CRUNCH:

• 4 tablespoons/55 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 tablespoons honey (for lower carb could also use Lakanto Maple syrup)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup/50 grams shelled pecans, chopped
• ¼ cup/35 grams raw pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup/20 grams rolled oats
• ¼ cup/20 grams large coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds or any other small seed

FOR THE BANANAS:

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons/85 grams dark brown sugar (for lower carb use Swerve brand brown sugar replacement)
• ¼ cup/60 milliliters heavy cream
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Pinch of black pepper
• 4 to 5 ripe but firm bananas (about 1 3/4 pounds/795 grams), peeled and halved lengthwise (yellow without black spots)
• Ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving (replace coconut cream for the whipped cream if desired)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the crunchy topping: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium until melted and foamy, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon honey and the salt; using a spatula, stir to combine. Add the pecans, pumpkin seeds, oats and coconut and stir to coat. Toast, stirring frequently, until the mixture is golden brown, about 8 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary to keep the mixture from burning. Stir in the sesame seeds and remove from heat. Move to a shallow bowl and set aside to cool. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.)
2. Prepare the bananas: Set the oven to broil. Wipe out the skillet and add the brown sugar, heavy cream, nutmeg, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon honey. Stir ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and place the bananas in the pan, cut-side up. Spoon some of the sauce over the top to coat the slices. Move the pan to the oven and broil until the caramel sauce is hot and bubbly and the bananas are tender, deep golden and slightly charred in spots, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.
4. Spoon a large helping of the ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche over the warm bananas, then scatter the pecan-coconut crunch over the top. Divide among individual plates or eat directly from the skillet.