Bambi’s Bali Hai Bananas

Directions

1Preheat oven or grill to 375° F. 

2While grill or oven preheats, prepare topping and bananas.

3By hand with sturdy large wooden or metal spoon or with a hand mixer, cream together all Topping Ingredients to blend uniformly.

4It's easier to start your slicing from the black nub end.  If you just barely slice off the very end of the nub crosswise, it will make your lengthwise cuts go much faster and smoother. 

5Arrange your cut banana halves onto a sheet pan, cutting board or platter and spread  3-4 tablespoons of topping evenly over each banana half, end to end, covering the entire cut surface of banana with topping.  The amount of topping should be almost ¼ inch thick, give or take.  Be generous with it.

6When all halves are covered with topping, carry the platter out to the grill, open the lid and place all banana halves directly on the grill, topping side up. 

7Close the lid and check progress at about 8 minutes.  Cooking time varies and bananas are done when skins are very dark brown or black, bananas have pulled away just a little from skins and the coconut appears a bit crunchy and well-browned.  Charred black coconut is not good, just saying. 

8Using a long flat spatula, carefully lift cooked halves onto a serving platter or individual serving plates.  Top with vanilla ice cream and a little whipped cream.  Dust top of whipped cream with a dash of cinnamon.  You might be able to retrieve a little of the resultant sauce/syrup that forms as the bananas cook, and you should spoon that over the top of the ice cream.  

To serve

1Vanilla ice cream and lightly sweetened whipped cream