Caramelized Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream

• 2 bananasripe but firm, not mushy
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 40 g dark brown sugarpacked
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sea saltflaky, for finishing
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 vanilla ice creamscoops, about 240ml total

1. 1

   Peel the bananas and slice them on a diagonal into coins about 1cm (½ inch) thick. Cutting on a bias gives you more surface area for caramelization.

2. 2

   Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Once it starts to foam and smells nutty, about 1 minute, sprinkle in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves into a bubbling caramel sauce, about 45 seconds.

   Tip: Keep the heat at medium — brown sugar burns quickly if you crank it up.

3. 3

   Lay the banana slices in a single layer in the caramel sauce. Let them cook undisturbed for 1.5-2 minutes until the bottoms turn deep golden and the edges start to look translucent.

   Tip: Resist the urge to move them around — you want that golden crust on the bottom.

4. 4

   Gently flip each banana slice with the spatula. Cook the other side for another 1-1.5 minutes until equally caramelized. The sauce should be thick and toffee-like, coating the bananas in a glossy layer.

5. 5

   Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract — it'll sizzle and smell incredible. Swirl the pan to combine.

6. 6

   Scoop the vanilla ice cream into two bowls. Spoon the warm caramelized bananas and all that toffee sauce over the top. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt over each bowl — the salt against the sweet caramel is the whole move here.

   Tip: The contrast between warm bananas and cold ice cream is everything, so serve immediately. Leftovers of the caramelized bananas (without ice cream) keep in the fridge for a day and reheat gently in a skillet over low heat.

• skillet (25cm (10-inch))
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• spatula

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.