Bananacue, or skewered deep-fried bananas coated in caramelized brown sugar, is an easy-to-eat go-to Filipino merienda and dessert. This rainy season, the timeless snack takes an innovative turn through an exciting modern recipe.

Dubbed as Bananacue Crumble, chef-instructor Glee Rome Gaddi’s toothsome version is a lavish delicacy topped with decadent crumbles complete with a warm serving of mouthwatering vanilla custard sauce.

Bananas are high in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, which aid the immune system stave off monsoon-related illnesses during the rainy season. The fruit is also considered as a prebiotic which assists the guts in digestion and improves the gastrointestinal tract.

Gaddi is a former hotel chef for Peppers Craigieburn Bowral and Westend Market Hotel in Australia. He currently teaches Principles of Food Production and Menu Planning Laboratory, Seafood Cookery Laboratory, and Garde Manger and Charcuterie Lecture at his alma mater, the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Bananacue Crumble

Ingredients

Crumble:
2 g salt
2 g cinnamon (ground)
30 g brown sugar
15 g cornstarch
70 g butter (cold)
100 g flour
Nuts (optional)

Filling:
4 pcs banana
1 pinch salt
30 g butter
20 ml vinegar
60 g brown sugar

Crème Anglaise:
2 pcs egg yolk
2.5 ml vanilla extract
40 g sugar
170 ml milk

Procedure

Bananacue Crumble:

1. Combine plain flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and cold butter in a bowl. Mix them until the mixture is crumbly. Add the nuts and mix again. Refrigerate once done.
2. Melt butter, brown sugar and salt in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add vinegar and mix well.
4. Add sliced bananas – not too thin. Cook for only a minute then immediately remove from heat. Transfer to a baking dish.
5. Pour the butter-sugar mixture into the bananas.
6. Sprinkle the crumble on top.
7. Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes.

Crème Anglaise:

1. While baking, begin with the crème anglaise or the vanilla custard sauce. Prepare a strainer and an extra bowl.
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. Set aside once done.
3. Heat milk in a double boiler above simmering water to avoid curdling.
4. Gradually pour part of the hot milk to the egg mixture while stirring constantly.
5. Add the yolk and milk mixture to the rest of the milk. Stir constantly until it reaches 82°C.
6. Remove from heat. Strain the mixture to remove stray curds.
7. Serve the Bananacue Crumble warm.