Kelewele Caramel Sundae with Honey Peanut Crunch
Ghana's spiced plantain turned dessert: ginger-and-nutmeg plantain caramelised in butter, spooned warm over vanilla ice cream with a honey peanut crunch.
Method
Toast the peanuts in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for , stirring, until golden and fragrant. Add the honey and stir for more, until it bubbles and coats the nuts. Spread them on baking paper straight away (hot honey burns, so don't touch) and let them cool and harden, then chop roughly.
Add in this stepRoasted unsalted peanuts 30 gHoney 2 tsp
medium-low heatPeel the plantain and cut it into 1.5 cm cubes. Toss with the grated ginger, cayenne, nutmeg and salt; the heat is subtle but keeps the kelewele character.
Add in this stepVery ripe plantains (yellow with plenty of black spots) 1Fresh ginger, grated 10 gCayenne pepper 1 pinchGround nutmeg 1 pinchSalt 1 pinch
Melt the butter in a 20 cm frying pan over medium heat until it foams. Add the plantain in a single layer and cook for , turning every minute or so, until golden on all sides and soft inside.
Add in this stepUnsalted butter 20 g
medium heatTurn the heat down to medium-low heat, sprinkle over the brown sugar and cook for , shaking the pan, until it melts and bubbles around the plantain. Pour in the cream (it will spit, so stand back) and swirl the pan for , until you have a smooth, glossy caramel sauce.
Add in this stepLight brown sugar 2 tbspHeavy cream 4 tbsp
medium-low heatScoop the ice cream into glasses or bowls. Spoon the warm plantain and its caramel over the top and scatter with the peanut crunch. Serve straight away, while the contrast of warm and cold is at its best.
Add in this stepVanilla ice cream (scoops) 2
Cook's tip
Use plantains that are almost black for the sweetest, softest result. The plantain and caramel can be made an hour ahead and gently rewarmed; the peanut crunch keeps for a week in an airtight jar. For a dairy-free version, swap the butter and cream for coconut oil and coconut milk.
Cooking it at camp
Make the peanut crunch at home. At camp, caramelise the plantain in a frying pan on a burner and serve it over ice cream carried in a well-iced cooler, or over thick yogurt, which keeps better. Take care with hot sugar near children.