Pancakes with banana, salted caramel & toasted pecans
These light and delicate French-style pancakes are delicious stuffed with an endless variety of sweet or savoury fillings. For brunch, it’s hard to beat the combination of bittersweet salty caramel with banana and a crunch of nuts for texture.
SERVES 6
• 30g butter, plus extra melted butter for cooking
• 100g plain flour
• 1 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 350ml milk
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE: • 200g caster/granulated sugar • 90g butter • ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra to serve • 120ml single cream FILLING: • 2 bananas, peeled and sliced • 100g toasted pecans, crushed
To make the pancakes, melt the 30 g butter in a small saucepan and set aside.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the sugar and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg and egg yolk and stir together with the milk and the cooled melted butter. Pour this mixture into the flour and whisk together until smooth.
Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and brush with extra melted butter. Using a small ladle or a 125 ml measuring cup, pour some batter into the pan, swirling the batter around the pan so it just covers the base. Cook for a minute or so, until the edges of the pancake begin to brown and the underside is golden.
Slide a spatula underneath and gently flip the pancake over to cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Lift it out and set aside on a plate. Repeat the process until all the batter is used up. Cover the pancakes with foil to keep them warm.
To make the sauce, melt the sugar in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula (don’t use metal or the sugar may crystallize). Once the sugar has liquefied and turned a rich caramel colour, remove from the heat and add the butter and salt, mixing until well incorporated. Place the saucepan back on a low heat and pour in the cream. It will bubble up. Beat it well until it’s glossy and smooth (about 30 seconds) and then take it off the heat.
To assemble the pancakes, put a few slices of banana and some crushed toasted pecans on each pancake and then fold into a triangle and drizzle well with the sauce. Sprinkle with extra sea salt and serve.