Waffles with banana & salted caramel sauce

Ingredients

For the salted caramel

• 140g light muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 50g butter
  
• 300ml double cream

For the waffles

• 4 large eggs
  
  , separated
• 300g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 50g butter
  
  , melted
• 600ml milk
  

To serve

• 2 bananas
  
  , peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 tbsp butter
  
• vanilla ice cream (optional)

  Method

  1. Put the sugar, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until everything has melted together. When the mixture starts to bubble, stir in the double cream and cook for 2 mins. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, then take off the heat and allow to cool slightly in the pan.
  2. Heat the waffle maker (if you don't have one, you can use a griddle pan instead - see tip). Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and melted butter. Start mixing with a balloon whisk; keep whisking as you slowly add the milk until you get a smooth, thick batter. Carefully fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon. Use a ladle to pour the batter into your waffle maker and cook for 5 mins or according to the manufacturer's instructions. Repeat until all the batter has been used up - keep cooked waffles warm in a low oven until serving.
  3. Just before serving, heat the remaining butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the banana pieces until golden. Divide the waffles between 4 plates, top with the fried bananas, drizzle with salted caramel and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you like.
  4. Source: bbcgoodfood.com