Chocolate Banana Pops

Bananas are one of my pantry essentials. I have to warn my friends before they set foot in my kitchen that opening my freezer may be dangerous. I can’t be responsible if an avalanche of tiny Ziploc bags full of the little frozen pieces fall on them!

Since Sondra and I use alternative natural sweeteners in our dessert recipes, we’re constantly buying bananas in bulk. In DC, our favorite place to get the super sweet, mushy, speckly bananas that weren’t sold in their prime is Safeway. This week, I picked up 20 bananas for 2 dollars in their over-ripe banana grab bags. I weeded through and found a few that could be salvaged, cut up the rest and threw them in the freezer.

After I made Oven-Roasted Potatoes, my taste buds were begging me for dessert. I knew I wanted something sweet, something chocolate, and something cold. One of our traditions growing up in Stony Point was the yearly carnival called Wayne Day Bazaar. The event was full of drunken firemen, rickety carnival rides, and the greasiest food you’ve ever laid eyes on. I always used to get the chocolate-covered bananas, munching contentedly as I watched my friends line up for “The Hurler.”

I revamped the carnival recipe, replacing the sugary chocolate with unsweetened, baking chocolate and adding chopped walnuts and pecans.

At first, I tried using pre- frozen bananas to cut out some of the prep time. But as soon as the boiling chocolate made contact with the cold fruit, the banana started melting and the chocolate slid right off into the sink. My next attempt was more successful. I used an unfrozen banana segment and the chocolate stuck!

These addicting little banana pops will take you ten minutes to make and less than a minute to eat.

CHOCOLATE BANANA POPS

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 3

2 large ripe bananas, unpeeled, cut into 3rds

4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate

6 toothpicks or skewers

Topping Suggestions: Chopped Nuts, Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, Cinnamon

METHOD:

Stick the unpeeled banana segments with skewers and place in the fridge to chill (do not freeze). Melt the chocolate in a double broiler.  Remove bananas from the fridge and paint the melted chocolate on with a brush. Roll each pop in the toppings until well-coated.

Place in the freezer until the chocolate hardens, about 10 minutes.