I spent the last week in Ocala at a two year old Thoroughbred sale. That meant that every day I was outside, watching horses and being enveloped in the heat and humidity. I enjoyed chilled bags of fruit coated with tajin and LOTS of water to keep me cool. One of these frozen chocolate banana treats would have been a great source of refreshment. I think I’ll need to make some when I head home to Kentucky. It may not be quite as warm there, but it still is summer.
The original post from June 2016
I will start this recipe with a confession. I usually am honest about the food that I serve to my family. If we are having lamb, I tell them it’s lamb. I don’t hide shreds of zucchini in my pasta sauce or sneak spinach into a chocolate shake. Of course, I have had an occasion or two to be less than honest.
For example before my kids went to school, they knew nothing but whole-grain bread. I didn’t directly lie, but I also didn’t offer them white bread. I also may have served them soy-based veggie burgers, which looked like real burgers, and proclaimed them to be “burgers”. Notice, I didn’t say hamburgers. So, is that really a lie?
Along these same lines, I might have made a frozen dessert treat without clearly defining it. This dessert may have consisted of only fruit and chocolate, not ice cream as they likely would have assumed. In my defense, both kids did enjoy the treat very much. They also were young enough to be less skeptical.
With my kids at ages 18 and 20, I wouldn’t try to deceive them with this dessert. However, it really does mimic an ice cream treat. The frozen banana takes on the consistency of hard serve ice cream. With the coating of chocolate, the banana taste becomes muted and almost vanilla-like.
Feel free to sneak this dessert upon your family, or be honest. I guess honesty is the best policy, but as a further endorsement, I think it is so similar to ice cream that I’m using it as a recipe during ice cream week. 🙂
If you’re looking to “sneak” an ingredient to your family, try this beet cake. I may have told my kids that it was purple dyed carrot cake. They loved it.
Frozen Chocolate Banana Treats
Equipment
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8 popsicle sticks or skewers
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas
- 3/4 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup sprinkles optional
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or peanuts
Instructions
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Cut bananas in half lengthwise.
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Insert popsicle stick or skewer in the cut end of each.
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Place skewered bananas on parchment paper-lined baking tray, and transfer to freezer for 45 minutes.
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After 45 minutes, place chocolate and shortening/oil (if using) in small mixing bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds.
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Stir chocolate, return to microwave for 15 seconds.
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Repeat cycles of stirring and microwaving until fully melted.
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Remove bananas from freezer.
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Dip each banana in chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off.
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Sprinkle chocolate-coated banana with sprinkles or nuts, and return to prepared tray.
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Repeat until all bananas are coated.
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Return to freezer for 15 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
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Enjoy!
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Any leftovers should be stored in the freezer.
