Temptation Plantains (Plátanos en Tentación)
Very ripe plantains browned in butter, then slowly simmered in brown sugar, cinnamon and dry wine until they turn soft, glossy and syrupy. A classic Cuban holiday dessert, served warm straight from the pan.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prepare the plantains
Peel the very ripe plantains and cut them on the diagonal into slices about 2 cm thick; the diagonal cut gives bigger pieces that hold together as they cook. The plantains must be truly ripe, with soft flesh and a dark, spotted skin, or they won't caramelize properly.
- 4 (about 800 g) very ripe plantains
✅ Done when: you have thick, even diagonal slices of soft, dark plantain
Melt butter and sugar
In a wide skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves into a smooth, glossy syrup, about 2–3 minutes. Keep the heat at medium so the sugar doesn't scorch before the plantains go in.
- 50 g butter
- 90 g brown sugar
✅ Done when: the butter and sugar look like a smooth, bubbling syrup with no dry sugar left
Brown the plantains
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Simmer in wine and spices
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Finish and serve
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Prepare the plantains
Peel the very ripe plantains and cut them on the diagonal into slices about 2 cm thick; the diagonal cut gives bigger pieces that hold together as they cook. The plantains must be truly ripe, with soft flesh and a dark, spotted skin, or they won't caramelize properly.
- 4 (about 800 g) very ripe plantains
✅ Done when: you have thick, even diagonal slices of soft, dark plantain
Melt butter and sugar
In a wide skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves into a smooth, glossy syrup, about 2–3 minutes. Keep the heat at medium so the sugar doesn't scorch before the plantains go in.
- 50 g butter
- 90 g brown sugar
✅ Done when: the butter and sugar look like a smooth, bubbling syrup with no dry sugar left
Brown the plantains
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Simmer in wine and spices
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Finish and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Plantains arrived in the Caribbean through Spanish colonization and became a staple of Cuban cooking in both savory and sweet forms. Cuban cooks took the Spanish habit of simmering fruit in wine, butter and sugar and applied it to the ripest, sweetest plantains, creating a dessert rich enough to be called a temptation.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Plátanos en Tentación is a beloved finish to a Cuban holiday meal, often appearing at Nochebuena alongside roast pork, prized for its glossy caramel sauce and soft, melting texture.
💡 Fun Fact
The name 'tentación' (temptation) is said to come from how hard it is to resist going back for a second spoonful of the syrup once the dish is on the table.
Cuba
23.11°N, -82.37°W
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