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Choc-hazelnut frozen banana pops

11/11/2014

38 Comments

 
Eveyln enjoying a choc hazelnut banana pop... image by Good Things
A brief conversation earlier this week reminded me of something that Fred Savage, a.k.a. Kevin Arnold, said in one of my favourite TV shows, The Wonder Years (1988-93). 'Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you're in diapers; the next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.' 

My grown up daughter made her own raw cacao version of these banana pops recently and said she remembered that I used to make them a long time ago, when she and her brother were little. It makes me happy to know that she has such fond memories of her mum's cooking. And truly, these banana pops are so delicious that my mouth is watering as I write this post. 

CHOC-HAZELNUT FROZEN BANANA POPS
2 large ripe bananas (approximately 350g)**
200g good quality milk and dark chocolate buttons
1/2-1 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts, lightly toasted

Slice each banana into three or four pieces (see photos). Press a short skewer, wooden cocktail fork or paddle pop stick into the base of each piece. Place them onto a freezer-proof tray, such as the non-stick silicone one shown, or a freezer tray lined with baking paper. Blast freeze for 10-15 minutes until the stick is firm in the base of the banana.

Meanwhile, melt 150g of the chocolate in a Pyrex bowl over simmering water (make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl). Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is warm and smooth (if you have a candy thermometer you can check the temperature...  it should be around 45 degrees C). 

Remove the bowl from the heat and then stir in the rest of the chocolate and keep stirring until the chocolate cools down. You can then return the bowl briefly to the heat (to bring the chocolate back up to around 32 degrees C, which is less than blood temperature). This method of melting and tempering the chocolate will make the chocolate smooth and shiny, and it will also have that lovely 'crack' when you bite into it. 

So now take the prepared bananas from the freezer and dip them into the melted tempered chocolate and, working quickly, roll them in the chopped hazelnuts. Pop them back onto the freezer safe tray or the tray lined with baking paper and then they go back into the freezer. You can eat them almost immediately, or leave them for a few hours or another day, should they last that long. Serves 6-8. Repeat the process (simply because they are so, so good!).

Notes:
* For little children, cut the bananas into four or five pieces. 
* You can also 'temper' chocolate in the microwave. My friend and fellow cook and blogger, Celia, writes in detail about it here on Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

** The straighter (i.e. less concave or curved) the bananas, the better in terms of presentation.
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Bananas and short skewers to make the pops
Use ripe, but not over ripe, bananas... the straighter the better
Freeze the banana pops for 5-10 minutes
Dip the banana pops into the tempered chocolate and then the hazelnuts
Freeze the banana pops again until you are ready to enjoy them

A delicious treat for little kids...  and big kids too! 

Choc hazelnut banana pops

My neighbour's children, Evelyn and Petria, have reached the age where they can begin to take care of our kitchen garden and pots for short periods when Peter and I are travelling. This gives them the opportunity to earn a little extra pocket money and is also good in terms of building life skills by giving them responsibility outside the immediate family environment. The girls are in awe of our flourishing strawberry patch and they've enjoyed picking baskets of the fruit. Their mum tells me that they're also amazed by the potatoes and lemons that we're growing in containers. Evelyn (pictured above, top) and her mum popped in at the weekend and we made some of these banana pops, as well as some rocky road, which is their dad's favourite. Watch this space for my rocky road recipe, coming soon. It got the thumbs up from next door.  ت

Tell me dear readers, do you have fond food memories from your childhood (I hope so). What were your favourites? Thank you so much for taking the time to pop in and leave a comment. I love hearing from you xox.
38 Comments
Megan Sparke link
10/11/2014 09:23:48 pm

I think I would really like this - I love banana. Plus it is probably easy enough for my limited cooking skills

Reply
Lizzy
10/11/2014 10:22:51 pm

I love banana too, Megan... I think you might find this recipe is a keeper : )

Reply
Briar
11/11/2014 08:18:55 am

I would like to try to take these to our Christmas picnic, so hope I can get an esky cold enough to transport them- what do you reckon my chances are?

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:54:11 am

Hi Briar... I think that should be ok.... I would definitely pack them on ice and make sure it stays nice and cold... they won't keep for hours, but they will be so yummy for your picnic!

Reply
e / dig in hobart link
11/11/2014 08:36:20 am

oooh yum... is it wrong to think perhaps a splash of tia maria or frangelico in the choc for a very grown up version?

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:54:31 am

Not at all, Elizabeth, I think it's a cracker of an idea!

Reply
Eha
11/11/2014 11:24:29 am

Laughing whilst reading e/dig's comment: I had exactly the same thought whilst scrolling thru' :) ! My 'grown-up' version would have Drambuie and dark chocolate methinks !!!!

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:54:46 am

Nom noms Eha!

Reply
Joanne T Ferguson link
11/11/2014 12:40:04 pm

G'day! Growing up in New York, I have LOTS of MANY wonderful childhood food memories! What a cute post and congrats on your daughter for making her own her own raw cacao version of these banana pops too...looks fun! Cheers! Joanne

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:55:32 am

Thanks Joanne.... my daughter is 29, darling.. a grown up... she shares her recipes on Instagram. Thanks for your kind words xo

Reply
Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
11/11/2014 01:57:55 pm

I love anything chocolate hazelnut, what a great idea!

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:55:51 am

Me too, Laura.... these are scrummy!

Reply
maureen@orgasmicchef.com link
11/11/2014 04:02:11 pm

Great memories and perfect on a hot day like this! Evelyn is a cutie!

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:57:00 am

Thanks lovely! Evelyn is indeed.... and so is her sister... we are lucky to have such great neighbours : )

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Mandy link
11/11/2014 07:03:20 pm

I made banana and choc chip muffins yesterday - wish I had of thought to add nuts. Lovely pops.
Have a super day Lizzy.
:-) Mandy xo

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:57:20 am

Ooooh, your muffins sound good, Mandy... have a lovely week xox

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
11/11/2014 07:55:28 pm

We love these dipped in milk chocolate and almonds. I could swear that it tastes like a Magnum almond! :D

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:58:33 am

MMMMmmmmm, Lorraine... that's a great idea too. Actually my Peter said the other day that these pops taste as good as, if not better than, a magnum.... and that is good, because we love those but boy they make you stack on the weight! xo

Reply
Glenda link
11/11/2014 09:35:52 pm

Evelyn is a very lucky girl.

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:58:58 am

Thanks Glenda, she is cute too... I'm sure she'd love some of your marshmallow!

Reply
ela@GrayApron link
12/11/2014 02:08:55 am

What a fun project and a beautiful face!

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:59:15 am

Ela, thank you!

Reply
Glamorous Glutton link
12/11/2014 08:52:43 am

These are a great idea and so straightforward too. A good excuse to learn to temper chocolate. GG

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 10:59:28 am

So true, GG. Have fun!

Reply
Hotly Spiced link
12/11/2014 02:27:19 pm

How lovely to have neighbours who are there to help when you and Pete go away. I bet they love touring your garden. What a great recipe - simple and easy and affordable and very, very tasty. What a great treat for kids xx

Reply
Lizzy
12/11/2014 04:40:19 pm

Thanks Charlie, we are very lucky indeed, and this is a delicious treat! xo

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Krista link
12/11/2014 05:29:27 pm

These sound absolutely wonderful, Liz. :-) It's been so blistering hot in our neck of the woods, that these would go down a treat. :-)

Reply
Lizzy
18/11/2014 07:30:36 pm

Oh Krista, I've been watching the weather forecasts... I hope you are managing ok, lovely!

Reply
Amanda @ Gourmanda link
12/11/2014 09:26:03 pm

What lucky kids next door, to be able to have treats like this from you!

Reply
Lizzy
18/11/2014 07:30:48 pm

Aw, Amanda, thank you kindly!

Reply
Anna @ shenANNAgans link
13/11/2014 02:33:04 pm

All the yes for this Liz. I freakin heart the bajinkas outta bananas, this big kid is gonna have a crack at these babies on the weekend. :)
I have sooooooo many fond foodie memories from my childhood, the best was making fruit bug juice (cordial) icy poles. A-MAZING!

Reply
Lizzy
18/11/2014 07:31:05 pm

Thank you so much, Anna, they are soooooooooo delicious!

Reply
InTolerantChef link
14/11/2014 11:00:57 pm

So yummy indeed Liz! I used to make similar for my kiddies when they were small. Those are definitely happy memories :)

Reply
Lizzy
18/11/2014 07:31:27 pm

Ah, how lovely, Bec... I think my two would love them now for sure!

Reply
David Scott Allen link
16/11/2014 01:30:57 am

What a womderful summer delight! Thanks for the tempering info... For all the cooking I have done, I have never learned about that! It is still warm enough here in Tucson to give this a try! xo

Reply
Lizzy
18/11/2014 07:31:48 pm

Hi David... oh, thank you, I do hope you give this a try... it is very good!

Reply
Sara | Belly Rumbles link
18/11/2014 11:30:52 pm

Oh my gosh, they are such a childhood memory trigger for me. There is something special about a healthy banana being covered in chocolate and then frozen.

Reply
Lizzy
4/12/2014 07:41:26 am

So true, Sara, and so yummy xo

Reply

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    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
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