Fluffy Banana Pancakes With Caramel Pecan Sauce And Ricotta Cream

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 6 ounces caramel candies, chopped
• 3/4 cup cream (light, whipping)
• 1/3 cup pecan halves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut, flaked (desiccated)
• 1 tablespoon rum or 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
• 1 cup smooth ricotta cheese
• 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2-1 teaspoon orange zest, finely chopped
• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 10 fluid ounces buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

Recipe

• 1 caramel pecan sauce: in a small non-stick saucepan, melt caramel pieces gently with the cream, stirring occasionally until smooth and blended.
• 2 add pecans and flaked coconut (and rum or brandy if desired), stir to combine with sauce, then remove from heat.
• 3 serve warm over pancakes.
• 4 can be prepared the night before, then heated in the microwave until warm.
• 5 ricotta cream: place ricotta cheese, confectioners sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a bowl.
• 6 beat with a whisk until well combined.
• 7 refrigerate until ready to serve.
• 8 can be prepared the night before.
• 9 fluffy banana pancakes: sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
• 10 place buttermilk in a 2-cup glass-measuring cup and add butter.
• 11 microwave on high for 2 minutes, until butter melts.
• 12 lightly beat yolks, then combine with the buttermilk and butter mixture, whisking to incorporate.
• 13 then add vanilla essence and caster sugar (superfine sugar) and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• 14 add buttermilk mixture to the flour, and whisk together until batter becomes thick and smooth.
• 15 batter can be prepared to this stage, the night before.
• 16 beat egg whites in a clean dry bowl until stiff.
• 17 fold whites carefully into batter until evenly mixed (and the sliced bananas can be added at this stage, too, if you wish - otherwise, see step 20).
• 18 heat a 6-inch diameter fry pan or skillet and brush lightly with melted butter, or spray with vegetable oil.
• 19 for each pancake, pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into pan, and swirl around quickly to distribute evenly over bottom of pan.
• 20 cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then lay some banana slices over the top.
• 21 when pancakes are lightly browned on the bottom (about two minutes), flip over and cook other side.
• 22 when cooked through, transfer pancake to a baking tray and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest of the batter (each pancake should take about two minutes per side).
• 23 to serve, drizzle warm caramel pecan sauce over each pancake, and top with a generous dollop or two of ricotta cream.