Light and Fluffly Pancakes with Coconut and Caramelized Bananas

Wouldn't you agree that this picture shows a shameless breakfast dish, which one would indulge in without guilt or regret? These delectable American-style pancakes were the fluffiest, lightest and yet most sinful ones I've ever prepared. The bananas were smothered in a sweet syrupy and boozed up caramelized sauce, flambéed in rum. As a final touch, a sprinkle of unsweetened shredded coconut added crunchiness to this dessert-breakfast-lunch on a Sunday rainy afternoon.
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I may be one of the few who truly enjoys rainy and cold weekends for the sole consoling feeling that I can sleep in with the soothing sound of the trickling rain on the bedroom window. Once I'm awake, I only had a desire to make a meal that would only create guilty-pleasure. Isn't nice having those once in a while?

I made a good stack that early afternoon, and soon enough....they were all gone!

To make the fluffiest, tastiest and lightest pancakes.....follow this recipe:

Preparation time : 10 minutes, Cooking time : 10-15 minutes

Recipe 'au pif':
1) to make the batter:
150 g all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
3 eggs (separate the yolks from the whites)

75 ml water

125 ml milk
Oil to cook

Mix all ingredients from set 1) except for the egg whites to make the batter. Whisk vigorously until you obtain a smooth texture.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until they've into a meringue, white and firm.

Slowly fold in the eggwhites into the batter gently with a spatula until well incorporated. Your mixture should be light and fluffy.

In a hot flat pan non-stick pan (brushed with a little oil) pour in a good ladle of batter and cook 1 minute each side. Repeat until you run out of batter.

2) To make bananas in caramelized sauce:
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or 1/2 that amount if using raw cane sugar)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp good quality rum
2 ripe bananas
a handful of unsweetened shredded coconut

In a hot pan, melt the sugar on high heat until the sugar turns into a liquid (but does not burn). Immediately add in the butter and swirl the butter around and stir sugar and butter with a spoon.

Add in the bananas and spoon the sauce over them.

Add in the rum, and flambé (optional - using a lit match just over the sauce).

add a little bit of water to lighten the sauce and remove the stickiness caused by the sugar.

Ladle some of the sauce again over the bananas.

Pour the bananas and sauce over the pancakes and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Enjoy and serve with fruits, yogurt or a good cup of tea or coffee.

Makes 8 good sized pancakes.