This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Memories of sitting in a Chinese restaurant come flooding back when I think of this absolutely mouthwatering dessert. We could all do with a sweet treat to keep our spirits up as we near the end of another crazy year. So here are three ways with bananas to thrill your family’s tastebuds!
4
servings25
minutesA sweet and sticky topping of toffee and bananas turns these pancakes into a pretty irresistible dessert – 371 cals per person.
Ingredients
100 g self-raising flour
225 ml semi-skimmed milk
1 medium free-range egg
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 bananas
1 knob of butter
1 tsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp readymade toffee sauce
4 small scoops vanilla ice cream
Directions
- In a bowl or jug, whisk together the flour, milk and egg until you have a smooth batter. Let stand for 20 minutes. Line a dinner plate with baking parchment.
- Put a 20cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add a little of the oil and swirl around the pan. Pour a ladleful of batter into the pan, swirling so the batter covers the base in a thin layer. Cook the pancake for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then flip it over and cook the other side. Remove from the pan onto the prepared plate.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have 8 pancakes, layering with a sheet of baking parchment between each one to prevent sticking.
- Slice the bananas, put in a frying pan with a knob of butter and fry for a few minutes. Add the sesame seeds, stirring, until toasted. Spoon on top of the pancakes, add a squeeze of toffee sauce and serve with the ice cream.
Toffee & Sesame Bananas
Traditional toffee bananas are deep-fried, but this is a lighter version, served with caramel sauce which takes 20mins and is 312 cals per portion.
Serves 8
- 6 large bananas , peeled and quartered
- 8 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 200ml double cream
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted
- good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve
Toss the bananas in 2 tbsp of the sugar. Heat a griddle to medium, then cook the bananas, a few pieces at a time, until sticky and showing griddle marks. Keep warm in a low oven.
For the sauce, put the remaining sugar, the butter and cream into a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has melted. Stir in the sesame seeds. Can be made up to a day ahead. To serve, put a few pieces of banana into 8 serving dishes, spoon over some of the caramel, then top with a scoop of ice cream.
Vegan banana pancakes
Foolproof diary-free and egg-free banana pancakes. Makes 12. Takes 20 mins. 94 cals per portion. So fluffy and light…
- 1 large ripe banana (around 150g)
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil , plus extra for cooking
- 120g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 150ml oat, almond milk or soya milk
- syrup to serve (optional)
Mash the banana in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, salt and oil. Add the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in the milk. The batter should be a thick, droppable consistency.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the batter to make American-style pancakes. You will be able to make about 4-5 at a time. Fry on each side for 2-3 mins until golden. Serve with syrup, sliced banana and berries, if you like.