Gordon Ramsay’s banana pudding is a baked banana sponge served with a dark toffee sauce poured over the top. The banana gets mashed into the batter before baking, then the oven does two things at two temperatures: 10 minutes at 180°C (350°F) to set the outside, then down to 150°C (300°F) for another hour until the centre is cooked through.
This is from Gordon’s restaurant menu, not the American layered banana pudding with vanilla wafers. I expected it to taste like banana bread, but the toffee sauce makes it closer to a sticky toffee pudding with banana in it.
Try These Pudding Recipes:
Why The Oven Drops To A Lower Temperature
The first 10 minutes at 180°C sets the top and edges of the sponge so it holds its shape. Then dropping to 150°C lets the inside cook gently without drying out or burning the surface.
I tried baking the whole thing at 180°C once and the outside was dark brown while the middle was still raw. The two-temperature method is the only way this works properly.
Banana Pudding Ingredients
For the sponge:
- 110g (½ cup) soft dark brown sugar
- 110g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 110g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 8g (2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
For the toffee sauce:
- 50g (¼ cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 50g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 85g (¼ cup) golden syrup (corn syrup)
- 120ml (½ cup) whipping cream
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Banana Pudding
- Cream the butter: Beat the butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg: Beat in the egg until fully combined.
- Fold in the dry: Sift in the plain flour and baking powder, then fold in the mashed banana until just combined.
- Bake stage one: Transfer into a lined baking tray and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes.
- Bake stage two: Reduce the oven to 150°C (300°F) and bake for a further hour until a skewer comes out clean.
- Make the sauce: Put the caster sugar, butter, and golden syrup in a saucepan and cook until it reaches a dark caramel.
- Add the cream: Pour in the whipping cream, stir well, and pass through a fine sieve.
- Serve: Pour the hot toffee sauce over the sponge and serve straight away.
How Ripe Should The Banana Be
You want a banana with brown spots on the skin but still firm enough to hold when you peel it. If it is completely black and mushy, the sponge will be too wet and will not rise properly.
I mash the banana with a fork rather than blending it. A few small lumps are fine and give you pockets of banana flavour throughout the sponge instead of a uniform paste.
What To Serve This With
The toffee sauce is rich enough on its own, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of clotted cream takes it further. Gordon serves this at his restaurants with just the sauce and nothing else.
This goes well after a lighter main like a vegetable soup or a chicken salad. You need room for it because the sponge is dense and filling.
Can You Keep Leftovers
The sponge keeps for 3 days in the fridge wrapped in foil. Make fresh sauce when you reheat because it thickens too much after a day in the fridge.
You can freeze the sponge without the sauce for up to a month. Reheat in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 15 minutes while you make a fresh batch of toffee sauce on the hob.
FAQs
- Is this the same as American banana pudding? No. American banana pudding is a cold layered dessert with vanilla custard, wafers, and sliced bananas. Gordon Ramsay’s banana pudding is a hot baked sponge with banana in the batter and a toffee sauce poured over the top. They are completely different recipes.
- Can I use more than one banana? One banana is enough for this recipe. Adding more makes the sponge too wet and heavy. If you want a stronger banana flavour, mash the banana very smooth instead of leaving lumps.
- Why does it bake for so long? The sponge is dense because of the banana and brown sugar. It needs the full hour at low heat to cook through to the centre without burning. A skewer should come out clean when it is done.
More Recipes:
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 slice with sauce):
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
- Sodium: 160mg
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fibre: 1g
- Sugars: 35g
- Protein: 3g
Gordon Ramsay Banana Pudding Recipe
6
servings15
minutes1
hour10
minutes1
hour25
minutesGordon Ramsay’s banana pudding is a baked banana sponge served with a dark toffee sauce poured over the top. The banana gets mashed into the batter before baking, then the oven does two things at two temperatures: 10 minutes at 180°C (350°F) to set the outside, then down to 150°C (300°F) for another hour until the centre is cooked through.
This is from Gordon’s restaurant menu, not the American layered banana pudding with vanilla wafers. I expected it to taste like banana bread, but the toffee sauce makes it closer to a sticky toffee pudding with banana in it.
Ingredients
110g (1/2 cup) soft dark brown sugar
110g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
110g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
8g (2 tsp) baking powder
1 ripe banana, mashed
50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
50g (3 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter
85g (1/4 cup) golden syrup (corn syrup)
120ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream
Directions
- Cream the butter: Beat the butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg: Beat in the egg until fully combined.
- Fold in the dry: Sift in the plain flour and baking powder, then fold in the mashed banana until just combined.
- Bake stage one: Transfer into a lined baking tray and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes.
- Bake stage two: Reduce the oven to 150°C (300°F) and bake for a further hour until a skewer comes out clean.
- Make the sauce: Put the caster sugar, butter, and golden syrup in a saucepan and cook until it reaches a dark caramel.
- Add the cream: Pour in the whipping cream, stir well, and pass through a fine sieve.
- Serve: Pour the hot toffee sauce over the sponge and serve straight away.
