There comes a time when decadent desserts are the order of the day. Essentials’ Megan Chalmers unleashes her creativity to deliver a sweet and extravagant banoffee buttermilk pancake stack designed to warm your soul.
Serves 2, in large stacks
1½ cups self raising flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
⅔ cup caster sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
1½ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 whole eggs
Unsalted butter, for greasing
Method
1. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
2. Place a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly grease with butter. Cook quarter cupfuls of the mixture, or one measure of a large kitchen spoon, in batches, for 3-4 minutes, cooking each side until golden brown.
3. Set aside in a warm place, ready for serving.
Bubble Wrap Mould, Dark Chocolate Garnish
200g 70% cacao dark chocolate
1 tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp nutmeg
Cocoa powder for dusting
Clean sheet of small diameter bubble wrap plastic
Method
1. Melt the chocolate slowly over a bain marie.
2. Gently fold in the cinnamon and nutmeg until well incorporated.
3. Using a baker’s spatula, evenly spread the melted chocolate over the bubble wrap.
4. Allow to cool slightly, then place on a metal tray and then place in a refrigerator to set.
5. Once set the bubble wrap can be peeled away from the chocolate garnish. The chocolate can be cracked into smaller pieces ready for serving. Dust the pieces lightly with cocoa powder before assembling the pancakes.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes 300ml
75g unsalted butter, diced
50g soft brown sugar
50g caster sugar
50g golden syrup
1 vanilla pod scraped
125ml thickened cream
½ tsp Murray River Salt
Method
1. In a small heavy-base saucepan over low heat add butter, sugars, golden syrup, scraped vanilla pod and seeds; simmer for 3 minutes. Swirl occasionally.
2. Slowly pour and stir in cream, continue to stir until it begins to simmer. Reduce for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
3. Season with Murray River salt.
Note: The caramel sauce will continue to thicken once cooled.
Vanilla Cream
300ml thickened cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
Method
Whip cream and vanilla seeds together until soft peaks form.
To Serve
2 medium-sized bananas,
peeled and sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter, allow to melt and warm until foaming.
2. Add the bananas and gently cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
3. Remove cooked bananas from the pan and set aside.
4. Assemble your pancake stack by layering each pancake with cooked bananas and dollops of vanilla cream.
5. Top the pancakes with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce and garnish with bubble wrap dark chocolate pieces.
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