For the Madagascar Banana Fritters, heat 3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan to 350 degrees F, or use a deep fryer set to the same temperature.
Mix the eggs, milk, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla Extract, and Rodelle Vanilla Paste together in a medium-sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Add the bananas, a few at a time, coating them well in an even layer of the batter.
With a long slotted spoon, remove the bananas a few at a time and place them in the oil.
Fry the bananas for 4 minutes until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain the fritters on a wire rack and repeat the process until all of the bananas have been fried.
For the Vanilla Bean Sauce, in a small saucepan, mix the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the half & half and butter until smooth.
Over medium heat, boil the mixture while stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla bean seeds.
Keep warm and serve with the fritters, or place in a bowl and use as a dipping sauce.
Sprinkle the banana fritters with the powdered sugar and serve them warm with the warm vanilla bean sauce.
Tips
The bananas should be slightly ripe, with a bright yellow color and minimal brown spots. This ensures that the bananas provide nice flavor and sweetness while holding up after frying. If the bananas are too ripe, they will become slightly mushy after frying.
Slicing the bananas immediately before dredging and frying will help prevent browning.
Recipe was developed for Rodelle by ADM intern, Katie Scheid.
