Creme de Banana

Crème de Banana is a sweet, very strongly flavored banana liqueur with an alcohol content of anywhere between 17 percent and 30 percent depending on which brand you choose. The liqueur is not just a sweet drink, it also has a wide variety of uses including adding a burst of flavor to drinks, desserts and baked goods. The liqueur is based on a neutral tasting un-aged grape brandy which is then flavored with bananas using various infusion and maceration techniques which vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Top Selling Brands

There are various different brands of Crème de Banana, but the five top selling brands in the world are:

• Bols
• DeKuyper
• Hiram Walker
• Marie Brizard
• McGuiness

Cooking With Crème de Banana

Crème de Banana liqueur is primarily used in alcoholic beverages and cocktails, but it can also be useful when cooking. It can often be used to give a burst of flavor to cakes and other baked goods. It provides a wonderful flavor because the liqueur contains sun-ripened bananas and a touch of vanilla and almond. Some brands also contain a little cinnamon and other spices. However, a light hand is recommended as the flavor is very intense and can be a little overpowering in large quantities. It is commonly added to yellow cake mix and chopped nuts to bake a delicious banana loaf cake. It can also be used as a syrup or sauce drizzled over frozen deserts such as sorbet or ice cream.

Cocktail Suggestions

Crème de Banana is generally preferred in cocktails although it can also be pleasant when served on its own over ice as a digestif, although the extremely sweet taste is often too sickly for some palates. The more common method of consumption is as an ingredient in fruity or exotic alcoholic cocktails. There are many different cocktails which contain Crème de Banana including shooters, punches and larger drinks. Some of the most popular of these are listed below, along with their ingredients.

 

An "Electric Banana" is a shooter which contains 1 part Crème de Banana liqueur and 1 part silver tequila layered in chilled shot glass. If your prefer a delicious sweet drink to sip on, you might want to try a "Scooby Snack". To create this drink pour half ounce measures of rum, Crème de Banana, Midori melon liqueur and pineapple into a cocktail shaker with some ice. Add around 1.5 oz of whipped cream and shake until thoroughly mixed before straining into a low ball glass. For s more exotic taste the best option is the "Funky Monkey" which contains 1 oz measures of Mount Gay Barbados rum and Crème de Banana with 5/8oz of dark crème de cacao, 3oz of coconut milk and a banana. All of the ingredients should be blended with ice until smooth and then served in a hurricane glass garnished with coconut flakes. For a long and refreshing drink try the "Fluttershy." Fill a highball glass with ice and add 2 oz of Crème de Banana and 2oz of crème de cacao and then fill with tonic.