Banoffee New Style (n) Recipe

Make toffee caramel

Place the 150 g granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Allow sugar to melt without stirring; gently swirl the pan occasionally to promote even melting. When sugar turns an amber colour, add the 60 g unsalted butter in pieces and whisk quickly until melted and incorporated.

Slowly pour in 120 ml double cream (warm slightly to avoid splatter) while stirring; the mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir until smooth and glossy. Add 1 tablespoon golden syrup if using for extra gloss and 1 tsp sea salt, stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer for 1–2 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm (about 15–20 minutes). Reserve about 3–4 tablespoons of caramel for drizzling at the end if you like.

Bloom gelatin (optional)

If using gelatin for a firmer cream, sprinkle 1 tsp gelatin over 10 ml cold water in a small bowl and let bloom for 5 minutes. After caramel is cooled to warm, microwave the bloomed gelatin for 5–8 seconds until liquid and stir into a tablespoon of warm cream to dissolve; then incorporate into the cream mixture (see below).

In a chilled mixing bowl, combine 350 ml cold double cream, 100 g mascarpone, 40 g icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla bean seeds or extract. Whisk on medium-high until soft peaks form and mixture is smooth and velvety. If using the dissolved gelatin, drizzle it in slowly while whisking to distribute evenly. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.

Fold 3–4 tablespoons of the cooled caramel (reserve the rest for topping) into the whipped vanilla cream with a spatula in 2 additions to create ribbons of toffee throughout the cream — do not overfold; you want marbling and a velvet texture. Chill briefly (10 minutes) while you prepare bananas and base.

Prepare biscuit base (optional): Place 120 g crushed biscuits in a bowl and mix with 60 g melted butter until evenly combined. Press into serving glasses or a small tart ring to form a base layer. Chill to set for 5–10 minutes. If serving without a base, skip this step.

Slice the 3 ripe bananas on the diagonal into 6–8 mm thick slices. Toss the banana slices with 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to prevent browning and to add brightness.

Layering: Spoon or pipe a layer of the vanilla-toffee cream over the biscuit base (or directly into serving glasses). Arrange a single layer of banana slices over the cream. Add a thin layer of cooled toffee caramel (spread or spoon, about 1–2 tbsp depending on serving size). Repeat with another layer of cream, bananas if desired, finishing with a generous dollop of cream on top.

Garnish each serving with a small drizzle of the reserved caramel, a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg (approx. 1/8 tsp per portion — total 1 tsp used across servings), and scatter toasted chopped walnuts or pecans on top for crunch.

Chill the assembled desserts for at least 20–30 minutes to let flavours meld and cream firm slightly. Serve chilled. Store leftover components separately for up to 2 days; assembled dessert best consumed within 24 hours to avoid banana browning.