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1
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
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2
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a saute pan.
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3
Add the bananas, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of white sugar.
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4
Stir well to blend the sugar and butter.
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5
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
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6
The bananas should be lightly caramelized.
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7
Mash the bananas with the back of a wooden spoon.
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8
Add the lemon juice to the mixture, raise the heat to high, add the brandy, and boil for 1 minute.
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9
Remove from heat, divide among 6 wide, shallow creme brulee dishes, and let cool.
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10
Place the heavy cream in a saucepan.
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11
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the cream with the tip of a knife.
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12
Add the scraped-out vanilla bean, and bring the cream just to a boil, then remove from heat.
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13
Reserve.
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14
Place the egg yolks and 5 tablespoons of white sugar in the top of a double boiler.
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15
Whisk them together, then stir over simmering water until the mixture becomes fairly thick (about 15 minutes).
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16
Strain the reserved cream into eggs, and stir the mixture over simmering water for 10 minutes.
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17
Remove from heat, and ladle over the cooled banana puree in the 6 dishes.
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18
Place the dishes in a roasting pan, and fill the pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.
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19
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
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20
Remove the dishes from the pan, and chill them for at least 3 hours.
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21
When you are ready to serve, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar over each dish, distributing evenly.
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22
Place the dishes on a bed of cracked ice in a roasting pan, and position the pan under a broiler until the sugar caramelizes.
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23
Watch carefully, and move the dishes around so the sugar browns evenly but doesn't char.
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24
Remove and serve while the crust is still hot.
