Ingredients
Bananas
- 6firm ripe bananas
- 12wooden sticks or lollipop sticks
Chocolate coating
- 400 gdark or milk chocolate
- 2 tablespoonscoconut oil
- or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
To roll
- 150 gpeanuts, chopped
- or 150 g other chopped nuts
- or desiccated coconut
- or crushed biscuits
- or coloured sprinkles
Equipment
- a lined tray that fits the freezer
- a deep narrow bowl, for dipping
Directions
- Make a batch with coconut or sprinkles instead. Use bananas that are ripe but still firm. They should be yellow with few brown spots.
- Peel all the bananas carefully. Cut each one in half across the middle. Push it in about halfway up it. Lay the banana halves on a lined tray. Leave space between them so they do not stick.
- Freeze them for at least three hours. They must be frozen solid before dipping. Chop all the chocolate up finely. Put it into a large heatproof bowl. Set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Stir it gently until it melts. Never let water get into the chocolate.
- Stir the coconut oil into the melted chocolate. Thin chocolate coats in an even layer. Take the bowl off the heat entirely. Let the chocolate cool for a few minutes. It should still be liquid but not hot.
- Pour it into a deep narrow bowl for dipping. Chop the nuts and put them in a shallow dish. Put each topping in its own dish. Take one frozen banana out at a time. Leave the rest in the freezer. Dip it into the chocolate in one movement. Turn it to coat it evenly all over.
- Lift it out and let the excess drip off. Rolling them must happen immediately. Roll it straight into the chopped nuts. Press them on gently with your fingers. The chocolate sets almost instantly on the cold fruit.
- Set it back on the lined tray. Return the tray to the freezer. Give them at least an hour to set hard. Let them sit for two minutes before eating. They melt quickly in hot weather.
Technique
- Honduras grows bananas in very large quantity, and the surplus is part of why this cheap frozen treat exists.
- The bananas must be frozen solid before dipping, since the cold sets the chocolate instantly and that is what forms the shell.
- A little oil stirred into the chocolate stops the shell setting so hard that it shatters off the frozen fruit.
Substitutions
- Coconut, crushed biscuits or sprinkles all work in place of peanuts.
- White chocolate can be used, though it is sweeter and softer.
Variations
- Some makers drizzle a second colour of chocolate over the top.
- A version dipped in condensed milk before freezing is made in some households.
- Frozen fruit on sticks is sold across Central America in many forms.
History
Sold from home freezers and school gates across Honduras, a cheap answer to the country’s banana surplus.
Frequently asked questions
What is Choco banano?
Choco banano is a snack from Honduras: frozen banana on a stick dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts. Sold from home freezers and school gates across Honduras, a cheap answer to the country’s banana surplus.
How long does Choco banano take to make?
Choco banano takes 20 minutes plus freezing of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 12 sticks. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Choco banano?
Yes, within limits. Coconut, crushed biscuits or sprinkles all work in place of peanuts. White chocolate can be used, though it is sweeter and softer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Choco banano?
Peel all the bananas carefully. Cut each one in half across the middle. Push it in about halfway up it. Lay the banana halves on a lined tray. Leave space between them so they do not stick.
