Bananas, spiced rum and caramel are a delightful trio of tropical flavours. Pillowy soft banana fritters dipped in a deep rum caramel sauce – sweet, comforting and dangerously good. This is a great way to use ripe bananas or plantains and ideal for an after dinner treat or a sweet addition to a brunch spread. Make sure to dust them with a little icing sugar whilst they’re warm!
Banana fritters, buñuelos or mosa? Whatever the name, these delicious treats seem to appear in some way all over West Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
It’s really no surprise since they are a very simple and easy to make using ingredients that naturally grow in abundance in these regions. And i’ve taken some inspiration from the Caribbean here as I think rum works really with bananas and caramel.
The internet is full of banana fritter recipes but this one is completely vegan and so a lovely treat for all.
It’s perfect to make quickly after dinner or as part of a brunch where there’s already lots of savoury dishes on the table.
As much as I don’t like to fry, I really don’t think there’s any other way to achieve fritter perfection. Let me know if you do make them and enjoy!
Serves 4 -6
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 35 mins
Ingredients
For the fritters
4 large ripe bananas (390g), mashed
30g golden caster sugar
125g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 vanilla pod, split open and seeds scraped out
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 tbsp icing sugar, to serve
For the rum caramel sauce
200g white caster sugar
60ml water
100g salted butter
200ml double cream
Pinch of sea salt
60ml spiced rum
Method
Make the rum caramel first. Put the caster sugar in a large frying pan over a medium heat with water. Swirl the pan round to ensure the water covers all the dry bits of sugar. The sugar should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn).
Once it’s a light amber colour take it off the heat and stir in the butter until it’s melted, followed by the double cream, salt and rum. Once the caramel is smooth and glossy leave it aside to cool.
In a medium size bowl mash the bananas with a fork and whisk in the sugar until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Heat sunflower oil in a heavy deep frying pan (half fill) until a cube of bread sizzles and turns brown ensuring the oil doesn’t get too hot.
Using an ice cream scoop carefully drop the batter (roughly 2tbsps) into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Cook for a couple of minutes until even in colour, gently remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto kitchen paper.
Repeat until the batter is finished and sprinkle over icing sugar whilst the fritters are still crisp and warm. Serve up!
