Dark Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Sticks

We are excited to invite you into the Shovels and Spoons kitchen experience. The recipes we include on this blog are inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients from the local farmers’ market.

But first let’s take a quick detour in honor of our first recipe posting. We decided what better way to start than with something sweet. A little decadence to balance our mostly plant-based, nutrient filled meals. So here we go: DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED FROZEN BANANA with Fourth of July inspired toppings!

This delectable treat is perfect as a summer snack or even as a light dessert. They are just as fun to make as they are to eat (well, almost)! Children and adults are both satisfied by this finger-licking no guilt snack attack! In fact, we made these frozen banana sticks this week at Camp Seneca Lake for our summer 2013 program. All the campers enjoyed them and loved individualizing their toppings. The best part about this recipe is the infinite possibilities for toppings. Use this recipe as a guideline for building your own delicacy.

Since the camp is nut-free and allergy-sensitive we used Enjoy Life mini chips that are dairy, nut and soy free. We recommend using bittersweet chocolate (60-70%) for optimal taste and less sugar content.

Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients:
10 oz bittersweet chocolate (60-70%) *
8 bananas
1.2 ounce bag freeze dried strawberry

Other topping suggestions: crushed nuts, coconut, goji berries, granola. The possibilities are endless!

Procedure:

Food process freeze dried fruit into a fine powder (should produce approximately ¼ cup per 1.2 ounce bag). Set aside in a ramekin. Peel the bananas and cut them in half. Insert a popsicle stick into the center of each half banana. Place on parchment lined sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Put into freezer for 2 hours.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. To do this, place a metal bowl on the top of a pot of simmering water. Stir mixture with spatula as it melts. Be careful not to let the water touch the bottom surface of the bowl or it will burn the chocolate. When the chocolate has melted pour it into a tall glass (this is the easiest way to ensure even coating). Dip the frozen banana sticks into the glass and sprinkle on the toppings. This process should be quick or the chocolate will begin to harden! Put back in freezer for 15 minutes or eat immediately! ENJOY!!!