- 4 very ripe bananas, peeled, cut into chunks
- ¼ tsp vanilla essence
- 3-4 tbsp sugar, honey or sweetener, to taste
- 150ml/5fl oz buttermilk or 150g/5½oz Greek-style yoghurt
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids)
- 100g/3½oz butter
- 35g/1¼oz ground almonds
- 2 large free-range eggs, separated
- 35g/1¼oz cornflour
- 85g/3oz caster sugar
- 175g/6oz plain flour
- 125g/4½oz cornflour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 250ml/9fl oz sparkling water
- 4 tsp sesame oil
- 4 bananas, cut into chunks
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- iced water
- 175g/6oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
- For the ice cream, spread the banana chunks out on a tray and freeze until frozen all the way through (about one hour).
- Place the frozen banana chunks into a food processor. Add the vanilla, sugar (or honey/sweetener) and half of the buttermilk (or yoghurt). Turn on the processor and blend for a few moments. Then, while the processor is still running, pour in the remaining buttermilk in a thin, steady stream (if you are using yoghurt, just tip it all in and blend).
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside in the freezer and take out a little before you are ready to serve.
- For the dark chocolate fondants, finely grate 40g/1½oz of the chocolate and set aside.
- Melt half the butter and brush liberally all over the inside of eight ramekins. Dust well with the grated chocolate, shaking out any excess. Set aside on a baking sheet.
- Melt the remaining chocolate (including any shaken out excess) and butter in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), or melt it in a microwave-proof bowl in a microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once. Do not overheat or the chocolate will ‘seize’, or turn solid. Scrape this mixture into a bigger bowl, then beat in the ground almonds, egg yolks and cornflour.
- Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Gradually beat in the caster sugar. A hand-held electric whisk is best for this.
- Fold the egg-white mixture into the melted chocolate mixture.
- Spoon the combined mixture into the ramekins. Smooth the tops of the fondants and chill in the refrigerator while you heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Bake the fondants in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until risen and set.
- For the banana fritters and ice cream, sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder together into a bowl then stir in the water and sesame oil.
- Add the bananas and gently mix until coated.
- Fill a wide pan half full with vegetable oil and heat until hot, or alternatively heat a deep fat fryer to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Carefully lower the battered bananas into the oil and deep-fry until golden-brown, then drain on paper towels.
- To make the caramel, place the sugar in a frying pan and heat until all the sugar has melted. Increase the heat and continue cooking without stirring, until the syrup becomes a light caramel colour. Add the sesame seeds and stir well.
- Remove from the heat and carefully add one banana fritter at a time to the hot caramel (CAUTION: The caramel will be very hot). Turn the fritter over with a fork to completely coat it in caramel, then remove immediately and plunge into a bowl of iced water. Remove and drain on a wire rack while cooking the remaining fritters.
- For the hot chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).
- Heat the sugar in a pan with 100ml/3½oz water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil.
- Stir the sugar syrup into the melted chocolate until smooth and shiny.
- To serve, place the chocolate fondants on serving plates along with the banana fritters. Add a scoop of ice cream and pour the chocolate sauce over it.