Avant-Garde Take on Old-School Dessert

Here's an amazing fact most people don't know: There are more than 500 million Twinkies sold annually!

To honor the iconic snack cake's 75th anniversary, Hostess put out a call for Americans to share their own Twinkie recipes.

Among the enthusiast entries, former professional chef Nolan Studley's Twinkie-Pecan Bananas Foster — which he calls an "avant-garde take on the most old school dessert around."

Twinkie-Pecan Bananas Foster

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 bananas, halved lengthwise

2 Twinkies, halved lengthwise, well chilled

1/4 cup butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 Teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup banana liqueur

1/2 cup dark rum

1/3 cup pecan halves or pieces

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups vanilla ice cream

Method:

Cut the bananas and Twinkies in half crosswise.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add brown sugar and allspice and stir to form thick paste.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the mix caramelizes.

Stir in banana liqueur and rum.

Heat for about 3 minutes.

Add bananas, Twinkies and pecans and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and carefully ignite the mix with a long match.

Sprinkle cinnamon over the flames for a sparkling effect.

Scoop ice cream into 4 individual dessert bowls.

Ladle the warm Twinkie mix over ice cream and serve at once.