This ridiculously indulgent dessert takes quite a lot of effort to make, but the finished result is worth it. Creamy, chocolatey, banana nutty heaven – a great alternative to a traditional party cake.

Ingredients

For the pancakes

350g plain flour

3 tbsp. caster sugar

3 large eggs and 2 large egg yolks, beaten

700ml of milk

2 tbsp. vegetable oil, plus extra to brush the pan with

For the ganache

500ml double cream

150g caster sugar

700g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces

For the glaze

125g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) broken into small pieces

175ml double cream

35g butter, diced

3 tbsp. golden syrup

For the topping

1tbsp brown sugar

15g salted butter

1 tablespoon pecans, whole or chopped

1.5 bananas, cut into 1cm thick slices

Method

First make the chocolate ganache by placing the double cream and sugar in a saucepan and heat until almost at a simmer. Add the chocolate, stirring until melted and once smooth, cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour 30.

To make your pancake batter, place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and combine the beaten eggs and egg yolks then add the milk and continue stirring/whisking until smooth. Add the oil, then cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Take a 18cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush with sunflower oil, when hot add ¾ of a ladleful of batter and leave for 1-2 minutes until the top has completely set and the bottom side is golden. Loosen the edges with a spatula, flip over, and cook the other side for 25 seconds until lightly golden, then transfer to a plate lined with greaseproof paper. Continue until all the pancake batter is used up, placing a sheet of kitchen roll or parchment paper between each pancake so they don’t stick to each other. When slightly cooled, place the stack in the fridge.

Remove the ganache from the fridge and warm slightly over a pan of simmering water to soften. Beat with an electric mixer on a high speed for a few minutes until the mix has lightened in colour and it’s smooth and spreadable, not too runny though as it needs to be thick enough to hold the tower of pancakes.

Stack the pancakes on top of each other, spreading a tbsp. of ganache between each one using a palette knife, getting the chocolate right to the edges of the pancake. Continue this until all the ganache and all pancakes are used up, leaving the top pancake bare.

For the chocolate glaze mix all the ingredients together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted. Pour the mix over the cake letting the mix drip down the sides and then place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until the glaze has slightly firmed up.

While the cake is chilling, make your banana and pecan topping by melting the butter in a clean pan over low heat until it sizzles. Next add the brown sugar until it melts in, then add the bananas and stir gently until they are covered with the glaze. Finally add the pecans and stir for a minute before spooning the mix carefully on top of the cake. Chill again until ready to serve.

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book.

Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend