Banoffee Crêpes

I lived in London in the early 1990s, which was a very exciting time for food. Banoffee pie was a trendy dessert then, and you could count on finding it on the menu of any bistro-like establishment. The pie never truly caught on in the States, but the crazy-good combination of caramel and bananas is always a hit once it’s tasted. The caramel is really a dulce de leche—a milk caramel made by slowly reducing sweetened condensed milk. It’s similar to cajeta, which is usually made from goat’s milk. There are some delicious jarred dulce de leches and cajetas on the market, so if you want to skip the first step and use store-bought, go right ahead.

Makes 6 filled crêpes; serves 6

FOR THE MILK CARAMEL

One 14-oz/400-g can sweetened condensed milk (preferably Eagle Brand)

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

1½ cups/360 ml heavy (whipping) cream

1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

FOR THE BANANAS

1 tbsp unsalted butter

3 medium ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise on the bias into ¼-in-/6-mm-thick slices

Tiny pinch of kosher salt

6 Versatile or Whole-Wheat Crêpes or your choice

1 oz/30 g bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped

½ tsp instant espresso powder or crushed instant coffee granules

MAKE THE MILK CARAMEL

Pour the condensed milk into a heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan (or in a double boiler) with about 1 in/2.5 cm of water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook the milk, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until the milk is thick like pudding and a deep caramel color, 2 to 3 hours. Check the water level in the pan every time you stir and add more as needed. When the caramel is ready, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. (You can make the caramel up to 2 days ahead; store it in the fridge in an airtight container. You’ll need to warm it gently before spreading it on the crêpes.)

MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM

In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream forms very billowy, firm peaks, 30 seconds more. Set aside.

MAKE THE BANANAS

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is no longer foamy, add the banana slices in a single layer and season them with the salt. Work in batches if you can’t fit all of the bananas in the skillet at one time. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bananas are tender and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Lay the crêpes presentation-side down on a clean work surface. Spread heaping 1 tbsp of the caramel over the surface of each crêpe, and then arrange the banana slices in a single layer over the bottom half. Fold the top half over the bananas to make a half-moon, and then fold in half again to make a fat triangle.

Transfer a crêpe to each of six dessert plates, spoon a generous dollop of the whipped cream on top, sprinkle with the chopped chocolate and coffee powder, and serve right away.