Scotch Pancakes & Rum Bananas

These light to the touch scotch pancakes are served with bananas, which have been fried and coated in a wonderful sticky rum caramel, and a scoop of ice-cream or whipped cream. This recipe is a go-to recipe for all occasions … a great dessert, and an even better indulgent, celebratory breakfast. It’s not the sort of recipe you do everyday for yourself, but if there is someone in your life you want to pamper and indulge then this is a great way to treat them (and yourself). Try to get firm bananas, and be gentle with them when coating and cooking them in the rum caramel.

Scotch Pancakes & Rum Bananas

Serves 4

Recipe Ingredients:

Scotch pancakes (makes 10-12 small pancakes)

• 100g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 80ml buttermilk
• 50ml cold water
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• butter, for frying

Bananas

• 4 large ripe bananas (sliced lengthways)
• 50g caster sugar
• 50g unsalted butter
• Good splash of dark rum
• 300ml of Vanilla ice cream  or Whipped Cream (to serve)
• 2 tsp water

Recipe Method:

To make the pancakes: sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt all into a large mixing bowl – make a well in the middle – it is important to sift the flour to lighten the pancake mixture. Whisk the buttermilk and water together in another bowl. Pour the beaten eggs into the middle of the flour well, followed by several tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture.

Gently and gradually start to mix the flour into the wet ingredients – whisk working your way inwards from the edges, making a thick but smooth paste. At this point slowly start to add the rest of the buttermilk mixture, adding just a little at a time, and whisking thoroughly between each addition, until you have a smooth and lump free batter.

Heat a bakestone or griddle (girdle) or a large heavy based frying pan (one which retains and distributes the heat well). Add a dab of butter and wipe the surface over with kitchen paper to grease the base of the griddle evenly with butter. Pour a small ladle of the batter into the centre of the griddle for each pancake, just a few inches across. Fry for 1 minute, until golden brown underneath, then flip over and cook for a further 1 minute on the other side. Continue with the rest of the batter, frying in batches of 2 or 3 depending on the size of your griddle or pan. Keep the scotch pancakes warm on a warm plate or in a low oven until they are all made.

For the Rum Bananas: sprinkle the caster sugar into a heavy based non-stick pan and melt the sugar over a moderate heat. Once the sugar has completely melted turn the heat slightly higher and cook to a mid-golden brown – without burning the sugar. Try not to stir too much, just move the pan to and fro.

At this point take off the heat and stir in the butter, to make a caramel. Once the butter has melted add a little rum (1 tbsp) to thin, and then the bananas (cut lengthways in large, thick sections) and toss very gently to coat in the caramel. Put back on the heat and cook for around 2 minutes until the bananas are slightly golden and just tender. Add a splash more rum and carefully flambé, gently moving the bananas around the pan in the flame. Once the flame subsides, add a splash of water to slightly thin the caramel sauce, (if it needs it) and remove from the heat, stirring to loosen the caramel and banana mixture.

Serve 2 pancakes per person with some of the rum caramel bananas – and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, on top – drizzle with the caramel sauce from the pan and serve straight away.