Air-Fryer Bananas with Caramilk Sauce

This is the dessert you make when you forgot dessert was happening — fifteen minutes from "what's for pudding?" to "served." A ripe banana halved lengthwise, the cut face brushed with brown sugar and a knob of butter, air-fried until the sugar caramelises into a glossy crust. Topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with melted Caramilk (the Cadbury caramelised white chocolate that took Australia by storm) for the sauce.

Bananas Foster, made in a basket, on a Tuesday.

The technique requires a banana that's ripe but not overripe — yellow with a few brown freckles, still firm enough to hold its shape. Brush the cut face with melted butter then sprinkle brown sugar — the sugar should be visible. Five minutes at 400°F caramelises the sugar into a brittle amber crust without the banana flesh going to mush.

The Caramilk sauce is the cheat: squares of Caramilk chocolate melted gently with a splash of cream becomes a smooth, slightly salty caramel sauce in 60 seconds. Without Caramilk (international readers): use any caramel chocolate or even melted dulce de leche.

The photo shows the assembled dessert: a caramelised banana split open on a white plate, vanilla ice cream scoop melting on top, glossy amber Caramilk sauce drizzled across, the kind of plating that's prettier than the effort behind it.