Frozen Chocolate Bananas

Mary Kennedy asked me the other day for a recipe for Frozen Chocolate Bananas. This is easy and something to do all year round. As with all recipes, I encourage using the very best dark chocolate.

Frozen Chocolate Bananas:


8 medium bananas, peeled (unlike this fun photo)* (I use firm bananas)
8 wooden popsicle sticks
32 ounces dark chocolate 70% or higher, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Line a sheet pan with waxed paper. Cut 1-inch off the end of each banana. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut-end of each banana, pushing the stick halfway in, leaving the other end exposed for use as a handle. Place the bananas on the sheet pan and freeze 1 hour.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. (You can probably do this in the microwave, but I usually do the bowl over saucepan method)

Working with 1 banana at a time, dip it in the chocolate and turn to completely coat (spoon some on, if needed). Transfer to the sheet pan, and return to the freezer.

Once frozen, store the bananas in an airtight container--or eat right away!

Some people use vegetable oil instead of butter, but I always go for the real thing. I'm also a purist when it comes to extras, but you can add chopped pecans or walnuts or sprinkles after dipping in the chocolate (roll the chocolate covered bananas in the decorations before refreezing).