Salted Caramel Banana Cream Pancakes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Tall buttermilk pancakes stacked with caramelized banana coins, a five-minute salted caramel, and a mascarpone-stabilized whipped cream that holds its shape instead of melting into a puddle. It's the diner-brunch showstopper, engineered so the topping still looks good by the time you sit down.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 cups buttermilk, well shaken
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• neutral oil or butter, for the griddle

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 1/2 cup mascarpone, cold
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch fine salt

• 3 medium bananas, ripe but firm
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Make the caramel first so it has time to cool. Combine the 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until the sugar is wet, then stop stirring. Let it boil, swirling the pan occasionally, 8 to 12 minutes, until the syrup turns a deep amber the color of an old penny (about 350°F on a candy thermometer). Watch closely in the last minute — it darkens fast.
2. Pull the pan off the heat and immediately pour in the warmed 1/2 cup heavy cream; it will bubble up violently, so stand back. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in the 3 tbsp butter, 3/4 tsp flaky salt, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Return to low heat for 30 seconds if any hardened sugar remains, whisking until it dissolves. Pour into a heatproof jar or pitcher and let cool to warm, about 20 minutes; it thickens as it sits.
3. Whip the cream: in a chilled bowl, beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt with a hand mixer on medium for 20 seconds to loosen. With the mixer running, stream in the cold 1 cup heavy cream, then increase to medium-high and beat 60 to 90 seconds to firm peaks that hold a clean ridge. Do not overbeat past the point where it looks grainy. Refrigerate — the mascarpone keeps it stiff for hours.
4. Whisk the flour, 3 tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 3/4 tsp salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains — 10 to 12 strokes. Lumps are correct. Let the batter rest 10 minutes while the griddle heats; it will thicken and puff.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat (350°F on an electric griddle) and brush lightly with oil or butter. Ladle 1/3 cup batter per pancake, leaving room to spread. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the edges look dry, bubbles break on the surface, and the underside is golden. Flip once and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven to hold; repeat with the remaining batter, wiping and re-greasing the pan between batches. You should get about 12 pancakes.
7. Just before serving, slice the bananas 1/2 inch thick on a slight bias. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, sprinkle in the brown sugar, and add the bananas in a single layer. Cook undisturbed 60 to 90 seconds until the cut sides are glossy and caramelized, then flip and cook 30 seconds more. Slide them off the heat immediately so they don't turn to mush.
8. Stack 3 pancakes per plate, spooning a little warm caramel and a few banana slices between the layers. Crown with a generous scoop of the stabilized whipped cream, pour more caramel over the top so it runs down the sides, add the remaining bananas, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve right away.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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