Cocoa Pancakes With Creamy Caramel Banana Topping Recipes

COCOA PANCAKES WITH CREAMY CARAMEL-BANANA TOPPING

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, mix all topping ingredients except bananas. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Gently stir in bananas until well coated; keep warm.
• Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F. Grease griddle with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. In medium bowl, beat egg with wire whisk or hand beater until foamy. Beat in milk and butter until smooth. Stir in remaining pancake ingredients until blended.
• For each pancake, pour scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes or until pancakes are puffed. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown and dry around edges. Serve pancakes with topping.

CHOCOLATE WAFFLES WITH CARAMEL-BANANA TOPPING

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, mix all topping ingredients except bananas. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Gently stir in bananas until well coated. Keep warm.
• Heat waffle iron. (Waffle irons without a nonstick coating may need to be brushed with vegetable oil or sprayed with cooking spray before batter for each waffle is added.) In medium bowl, stir all waffle ingredients with spoon until blended. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. (Check manufacturer's directions for recommended amount of batter.) Close lid of waffle iron.
• Bake each waffle about 5 minutes or until steaming stops. Carefully remove waffle. Serve with topping.

FLUFFY BANANA PANCAKES WITH CARAMEL PECAN SAUCE AND RICOTTA CREAM

Steps:

• Caramel Pecan Sauce: In a small non-stick saucepan, melt caramel pieces gently with the cream, stirring occasionally until smooth and blended.
• Add pecans and flaked coconut (and rum or brandy if desired), stir to combine with sauce, then remove from heat.
• Serve warm over pancakes.
• Can be prepared the night before, then heated in the microwave until warm.
• Ricotta Cream: Place ricotta cheese, confectioners sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a bowl.
• Beat with a whisk until well combined.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Can be prepared the night before.
• Fluffy Banana Pancakes: Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
• Place buttermilk in a 2-cup glass-measuring cup and add butter.
• Microwave on high for 2 minutes, until butter melts.
• Lightly beat yolks, then combine with the buttermilk and butter mixture, whisking to incorporate.
• Then add vanilla essence and caster sugar (superfine sugar) and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Add buttermilk mixture to the flour, and whisk together until batter becomes thick and smooth.
• Batter can be prepared to this stage, the night before.
• Beat egg whites in a clean dry bowl until stiff.
• 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).
• Heat a 6-inch diameter fry pan or skillet and brush lightly with melted butter, or spray with vegetable oil.
• For each pancake, pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into pan, and swirl around quickly to distribute evenly over bottom of pan.
• Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then lay some banana slices over the top.
• When pancakes are lightly browned on the bottom (about two minutes), flip over and cook other side.
• 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).
• To serve, drizzle warm caramel pecan sauce over each pancake, and top with a generous dollop or two of ricotta cream.

CARAMEL-BANANA PANCAKES RECIPE

Steps:

• Microwave 2 Tbsp. butter, caramels and 1/4 cup milk in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute.
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl; set aside. Microwave remaining butter in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec. or until melted. Add remaining milk and eggs; whisk until blended. Mash 1 banana. Add to egg mixture; mix well. Add to dry ingredients; stir until blended.
• Ladle batter onto hot griddle or into hot skillet sprayed with cooking spray, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake; cook until bubbles form on tops, then turn to brown other sides.
• Slice remaining bananas. Serve pancakes topped with sliced bananas and caramel sauce.

BANANA CREAM PANCAKES

Steps:

• For the Pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg yolks.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to blend.
• Gradually whisk flour mixture into buttermilk mixture.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and gently fold into batter.
• Preheat oven to 250^F.
• In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
• Working in batches, drop batter by a 1/2 cup measure into the skillet.
• Immediately place 8 banana slices on top of each pancake.
• Cook until pancakes are light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
• Place cooked pancakes on baking sheet and keep warm.
• Continue until all pancakes are cooked.
• Top pancakes with Banana Cream Topping and drizzle with warm maple syrup.
• For the Banana Cream Topping: In a medium saucepan, combine bananas, apple juice, powdered sugar and lemon juice.
• Cook over medium heat about 3 minutes until bananas are very soft.
• Transfer bananas to a food processor and add 1/3 cup cooking liquid from the pan.
• Discard remaining liquid.
• Puree until smooth.
• Chill until cold.
• Beat cream in a chilled medium bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Carefully, fold cream into banana puree.
• This should be be prepared up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.