Banoffee New Style Recipe

Make the toffee caramel

Place 150 g granulated sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently and continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula as the sugar melts; it will clump and then liquefy and turn amber. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Once the sugar reaches a deep golden amber, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add 75 g unsalted butter in pieces. The mixture will bubble vigorously—stir until fully incorporated.

Slowly pour in 120 ml heavy cream in a thin stream while stirring constantly until smooth. If the caramel seizes, return to low heat and stir until smooth.

Stir in 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Allow the caramel to cool for 10–15 minutes, then transfer 50 ml to a small container (reserved for finishing) and leave the remainder to cool slightly before using in the assembly. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Prepare vanilla cream

Chill a mixing bowl and whisk (or bowl of a stand mixer) for 10 minutes in the fridge to help cream whip better. Pour 300 ml double cream into the chilled bowl.

Add 100 g mascarpone, 25 g icing sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract to the cream. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form — the mixture should be smooth, slightly thick but still pipeable (about 2–4 minutes). Do not overwhip; stop when the cream holds shape but remains glossy.

Fold in 3–4 tablespoons (approx. 60–80 ml) of the cooled caramel from the previous section if you prefer a lightly caramelized vanilla cream; alternatively leave the caramel separate to layer distinct flavors. If folding in caramel, stir gently to create a marbled effect rather than fully blending for textural contrast.

Prepare biscuit base

Combine 200 g crushed biscuits with 80 g melted unsalted butter in a bowl and mix until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the base of a 23 cm (9 inch) springform pan or into individual serving glasses to form an even layer. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.

Slice 3 ripe bananas on the diagonal into 1 cm thick slices. Toss gently with 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.

Layering: Remove the chilled base. Spoon a generous layer (approx. 120–150 ml) of the warm-but-not-hot caramel-toffee onto the biscuit base and spread evenly. Arrange a single layer of banana slices over the caramel.

Add a thick layer of the prepared vanilla cream over the bananas (use a piping bag for a neat finish if desired). Drizzle a little of the reserved 50 ml caramel over the cream for visual contrast and extra flavor.

Sprinkle 50 g chopped toasted walnuts or pecans over the top and grate or dust 1 tsp ground nutmeg evenly across the cream.

Chill the assembled dessert for at least 30 minutes (preferably 1–2 hours) to let layers set and flavors meld. Serve chilled; optionally finish each portion with an extra drizzle of reserved caramel just before serving and an extra dusting of nutmeg.