Bananas Stuffed with Rum Butter Cream (Figues Bananes Fourrees — Haiti)

2 tablespoons seedless black raisins
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dark rum
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely ground peanuts, walnuts, almonds or pecans
12 glac cherries (candied cherries) - optional

Soak raisins in the 2 tablespoons rum in a small bowl. Cream butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer in a small bowl. Beat in the remaining 1 teaspoon rum.

Peel bananas and cut them in half crosswise and then lengthwise. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Arrange the bananas, flat side up, on a serving plate. If you are going to serve the bananas immediately, you do not have to sprinkle them with lemon juice.

Fill a small pastry bag, fitted with the tip of your choice, with the rum butter cream. Pipe the rum butter cream along the length of each banana (or just spoon about 2 teaspoons rum butter cream on top of each banana). Garnish each with the rum-soaked raisins and the nuts. The leftover rum from the raisins can be sprinkled on the bananas, if desired. Put a cherry on top of each banana and serve at once, or refrigerate and serve within 8 hours.

Serves 6.