H ’n’ R banana royale

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 40 MINS

“We like to preserve our own cherries,” says Cowcher. “But if they aren’t in season and you haven’t preserved any in advance, we suggest using Luxardo preserved cherries.”

400 ml pouring cream

60 gm caster sugar

6 slightly underripe bananas 100 gm brown sugar Maraschino cherries and syrup (see note), to serve COCONUT SORBET

400 ml coconut milk (see note) 125 gm caster sugar

Juice of ½ lime

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

75 gm dark chocolate pieces 25 gm caster sugar

2 tbsp thickened cream

15 gm unsalted butter CANDIED BRAZIL NUTS

60 gm Brazil nuts

2 tsp liquid glucose

Large pinch of caster sugar

1 For coconut sorbet, simmer 100ml coconut milk with sugar, stirring over medium heat until sugar dissolves (4-5 minutes), cool, then add remaining coconut milk and lime. Churn in an ice-cream machine, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Makes 1 litre.

2 For chocolate sauce, stir ingredients with 1 tbsp hot water in a saucepan until melted and smooth (5-7 minutes), then whisk to combine. Set aside at room temperature, or if made ahead, reheat very gently to serve.

3 For candied nuts, preheat oven to 165°C and warm nuts on an oven tray lined with baking paper (5 minutes). Meanwhile, combine glucose, sugar and a large pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. While still hot, add nuts and mix thoroughly to coat evenly. Return nuts to lined oven tray and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until nuts are caramelised (30-35 minutes).

Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop. Store in an airtight container until required. 4 Whisk cream, sugar and

1 tsp salt in a bowl to soft peaks. Transfer to a piping bag (ideally with a star nozzle) and refrigerate until required.

5 Halve bananas lengthways with skin on and coat cut sides generously with brown sugar. Heat a frying pan over high heat, then add bananas in batches, cut-side down, and cook without moving until sugar caramelises and skin darkens around edge (4-6 minutes). Cool briefly.

6 Pipe cream into bowls or into banana-split boats and top with peeled bananas, scoops of sorbet, chocolate sauce, cherries, a drizzle of cherry liquid and a sprinkle of crushed Brazil nuts. Serve immediately.

Note Luxardo maraschino cherries are available from select delicatessens. Cowcher and Murphy use Kara coconut milk for this recipe.

Wine suggestion A rich dessert wine with some freshness matches really well; we like the 2010 Sorelle Palazzi Vin Santo “Riserva” from Italy.