Recipes
Ultimate leftover banana pudding
A rich, zero-waste dessert using whole bananas – skins and all – with a roasted banana caramel base, crisp banana-skin shards, barley sugar-puff topping, and naturally sweet banana “ice cream”. Unexpected. Impressive. Delicious.
Ingredients
For the roasted bananas
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- 4 ripe bananas (whole, unpeeled)
For the banana skin crisp
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- Roasted banana skins (from above)
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- 200g caster sugar
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- 200ml water
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- Neutral oil (e.g. vegetable or sunflower), for frying
For the banana ice cream
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4 frozen bananas
For the barley sugar puffs
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- 50g pearl barley
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- 1 tsp neutral oil
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- 1 tbsp caster sugar
To finish
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- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (for serving)
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- Chilled dessert bowls and a warmed spoon (for plating)
Method
1. Roast the bananas
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Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan) / 200°C (conventional)
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Place the whole bananas (in their skins) directly on a tray.
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Roast for 25 minutes, until the skins split and the bananas inside are soft and caramelised.
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Allow to cool slightly.
2. Prepare the banana skins
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Trim off the hard stem ends
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Scrape out any banana flesh from the skins and reserve for the ice cream.
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In a small saucepan, bring 200g sugar + 200ml water to a boil to make a light syrup.
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Pour this hot syrup over the banana skins in a heatproof bowl.
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Cover and leave in the fridge to steep for 12 hours.
3. Dry & crisp the skins
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After soaking, drain the banana skins well.
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Heat neutral oil to 150–160°C in a pan (low bubbles).
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Fry the banana skins gently until most of the moisture is removed – they should darken and slightly crisp.
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Drain on a rack. They may still be soft but will crisp up as they cool.
4. Banana “ice cream”
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Blend the frozen bananas (just banana – nothing else!) until smooth.
5. Barley sugar puffs
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In a dry pan, toast the pearl barley until it starts to puff like tiny cereal pieces (be patient).
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Add 1 tsp oil, stir briefly.
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Turn off the heat — the pan stays hot!
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Sprinkle in 1 tbsp sugar, stir until it melts and lightly caramelises around the barley.
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Tip onto baking paper to cool into crunchy clusters.
To assemble
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- Scoop the frozen banana ice cream into chilled bowls.
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- Spoon a layer of roasted banana flesh and caramel at the base.
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- Scatter over crisp banana skins and barley sugar puffs.
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- Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil for a glossy, rich aroma.
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- Serve immediately with a warm spoon to cut through the cold.
Chef’s tip
You can prep all elements in advance and assemble to order. The contrast of cold bowl, warm spoon, smooth banana, crisp skin, and crunchy barley is what makes this dish a real showstopper.
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