by Natasha Sheldon

Created on: November 21, 2008

This decadent dessert is secretly virtuous, hiding two of your daily servings of fruit beneath whipped cream and brandy.

Ingredients:

4 bananas, peeled and cut in half length ways.

25g/1oz butter

4 tbsp brandy

150ml/ whipping cream

quarter teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tbsps flaked almonds

2 oranges, peeled and segmented.

First the preparation:

Begin by creating the orange sauce. Gently cook the segmented oranges in a quarter pint of water until tender. After 10 minutes, gently push through a sieve or food process. Set aside.

Finally,whip up the cream with the vanilla essence, sprinkle with the almonds and place in the fridge to chill.

Now for the main event:

Heat the butter in a pan before adding the sliced bananas. Brown on one side before gently flipping over to repeat the process on the other side. Now add the brandy. You can ignite it to flambe the bananas or allow the alcohol to cook off in a less spectacular fashion. Either way, follow the alcohol with the orange puree. Gently combine all the juices.

Lift the bananas out of the pan and place on a serving dish. Spoon over the sauce and crown with the nut encrusted whipped cream.

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