Makes 10
10 ripe bananas
200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
4 tbsp coconut oil
Optional toppings:
sea salt • goji berries • toasted flaked almonds, roughly chopped
lightly toasted buckwheat groats • freeze-dried raspberries
toasted unsweetened coconut flakes or desiccated coconut • chopped pistachios
grated chocolate • cacao nibs • crushed rose petals • chopped peanuts
puffed brown rice • melted almond butter
This is the ultimate frozen banana treat. They are really fun and simple to make, they taste amazing and you can dress them up in so many different ways. These pops are perfect for children’s parties but also go down exceptionally well with grown-ups. You can make them ahead and bring them out as a delicious treat. It’s also quite fun to just prepare the frozen banana pops first, then lay out the melted chocolate and all the toppings so everyone can dip their own!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the bananas, halve horizontally and insert a wooden skewer, lollipop stick or cake pop stick into the cut side of each piece of banana. If you have giant bananas you can always cut them down a little and save the excess for some nice cream. Place the prepared bananas on the lined baking sheet and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight.
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan that’s half-full of simmering water. Stir together until smooth. Dip each frozen banana piece in the chocolate, twirling to coat. You may find this easiest if you first pour the chocolate into a tall glass. Then roll, sprinkle or douse in your chosen toppings.
Place back on the lined tray and return to the freezer until ready to serve. Allow to thaw slightly before eating. If not serving within 24 hours, store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to a week, making sure you put parchment paper between the pops to ensure they don’t stick together.