This is topic frozen banana help? I think the bananas won. in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
anyone know a recipe for making chocolate covered frozen bananas?

[ October 16, 2005, 06:10 PM: Message edited by: Dan_raven ]
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
1) Chocolate
2) Bananas
3) Source of cold
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
I would imagine you freeze the bananas out of their skins then melt the chocolate, dip the bananas in the chocolate then freeze them again and serve with icecream or something. How solid is a frozen banana?
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
A frozen banana is fairly solid. Seriously, here's how you do this:

1) Peel bananas to stem without removing peel
2) Put bananas in freezer
3) Heat chocolate
4) Dip peeled bananas in chocolate by stem
5) Return bananas -- still open -- to freezer
6) Remove bananas from freezer
7) Place in fridge and allow to thaw
8) Close bananas
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
Why would you let them thaw???

No, you:

1) Peel bananas and discard peels.
2) Freeze (optional step before freezing: insert wooden sticks in one end).
3) Dip in melted chocolate (I actually prefer to use chunks of banana instead of whole ones, to improve the chocolate-to-banana ratio), and if desired in chopped nuts.
4) Freeze again (on a tray to catch the drips).
5) When solid, place in ziplock bag. Leave in freezer until ready to eat.
6) Enjoy!
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
Rocket Science it taint, but then, I never said I was a rocket scientist.
 

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Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
I dunno if it's only 'cause they used liquid nitrogen or something that gets the bananas way colder than your freezer can, but everytime I've gotten frozen chocolate covered bananas on a stick at the fair they take them out of the freezer, dip them in the chocolate, and it solidifies almost instantly and they hand it right to you, no refreezing involved. Of course, they might also use a chocolate-type-substance that is more like that "magic shell" stuff.
 

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Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
ElJay, that's how they do them at the little ice cream place I go to (there they are called moose antler's), but I know they use dry ice, so that could be it, they also use a magic shell stuff, so another that's it.


Probably the way rivka said it is best if you want them to be really frozen, and closer to Tom's way if you live so far north you wear sweatshirts on the 4th of july.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
You should mix a little tiny bit of oil in the melted chocolate so it won't separate in the freezer; since you're not just returning the chocolate to room temperature or a little colder, like with chocolate-dipped strawberries, it can cause the chocolate to not stick to the banana. You also only need to freeze the bananas about halfway, not until they're frozen solid all the way through, for it to work. (It'll work if you freeze them solid, but if you get impatient like me, you don't need to.)

Other than that, I agree with rivka's method.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
ElJay, you can do it that way at home if you plan to serve them immediately after chocolate dipping.

I often don't.
 

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Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
 
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this thread was, "Its a thread about 'Arrested Development'!" But it isn't.....
 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
?
 

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Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
 
The frozen bananna stand in 'Arrested Development'?
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
"Why would you let them thaw???"

Because cold bananas are infinitely tastier than frozen bananas.
 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
If you let them thaw, then you get the sickly sweet taste of over-ripe bananas.
 

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Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
 
Wait, where are the salted pecans? Come on people, don't you know how to make frozen bananas?

You need to cut the end off the banana, stick a skewer or popcicle stick in them and freeze them. Take them out take the peel off and dip them in chocolate and other fun things, like cashews, pecans, or sprinkles and put them back in the freezer.
 

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Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
 
*sings* Yes, we have no bananas...
 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
Oooh, yummy.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Joldo:
If you let them thaw, then you get the sickly sweet taste of over-ripe bananas.

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Exactly!

And Kayla, I mentioned nuts.
 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
Yes! I'm not the only one who hates those!

Tell me, does anyone else like bananas when they're still green and have a bit of a bite?
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
Sometimes.

Overripe bananas are good for one thing. Banana bread.

Wait, two things. They make yummy cookies too.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Peel a slightly over ripe banana (in the "freckle" stage), and break the banana in half. You can stick the popsicle stick in each half.

Wrap in Saran, or put it in a baggie, and freeze.

Dip in Chocolate Shell (the ice cream topping that hardens on contact with ice cream) and eat right away put it back in the freezer for later.

Do not thaw -- it would no longer be a frozen banana.

Frozen bananas without the chocolate coat make lovely banana milkshakes. Milk, frozen banana, a pinch on nutmeg, blended together. Your kids think you're giving them an ice cream treat -- but you know that it is healthful fruit and milk snack.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Hi Adam. Feeling better?
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 

quote:

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Overripe bananas are good for one thing. Banana bread.

Wait, two things. They make yummy cookies too.

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quote:

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Originally posted by rivka:

quote:

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Originally posted by Joldo:
If you let them thaw, then you get the sickly sweet taste of over-ripe bananas.

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Exactly!

And Kayla, I mentioned nuts.

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Just begging for OOC...

And I agree with the eat frozen crowd. Dealing with frozen then thawed bananas has almost caused me to stop eating them.
 

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Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
 
Don't waste good chocolate on bananas! Bananas are nasty!
 

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Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
 
Sorry, rivka. You're right. But "if desired" and "chopped nuts" aren't even close to "Are you crazy? You have to have salted pecans on chocolate covered bananas!!!"
 

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Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
 
I freeze bananas with liquid nitrogen all the time. Then I use the frozen banana to drive a sharp piece of rubber tubing into a piece of wood.

Oh, yeah, the rubber tubing has to be frozen with LN2 also.

And as soon as the banana thaws, it turns brown and yucky, no matter how fresh it was before it was frozen. I definitely wouldn't thaw a banana before I are it, unless I was putting it in banana bread or something.
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
Two words
Banana Pancakes.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Glenn Arnold:
I freeze bananas with liquid nitrogen all the time. Then I use the frozen banana to drive a sharp piece of rubber tubing into a piece of wood.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Kayla:
Sorry, rivka. You're right. But "if desired" and "chopped nuts" aren't even close to "Are you crazy? You have to have salted pecans on chocolate covered bananas!!!"

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That's true. But the word "crazy" rarely appears in any recipe I explain.
 

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Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
 
Crazy is a given in all my posts.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
Only in some of mine.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Crazy Kayla

***WARNING***
Horribly designed Web Page Alert!

[/warning]
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
That just ruined the name Kayla for me.

And we had so much trouble agreeing on a nice Irish middle name to go with "Bridget"!

*places curse on Tante*
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
Ooh. What kind of curse?
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Wha..? I woke up this morning with my ankles swollen, a nauseated feeling, a backache, sore breasts, fatigue, an urge to pee all the time, and quite a bit of weight gain around my middle. And I figured that it is either something in the Hatrack water, or that sorceress ketchupqueen has placed a curse on me.

Now cut that out!
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
Well it certainly wasn't caused by a frozen banana.
 

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Posted by narrativium (Member # 3230) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Tante Shvester:
***WARNING***
Horribly designed Web Page Alert!

[/warning]

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I guess that's a necessary warning around here now, huh?

 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
I'll cut it out when we find a replacement name or I'm able to re-reconcile myself to Kayla. If you want this to happen sooner, you'd better find some good things about people named Kayla.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Uh, KQ, I TRIED. I really did. And what I found wasn't good. Google "Kayla" and prepare to be shocked at what pops up. I'm going to have to recommend a different name.

I like "Esther".

Or "Ruth" or "Naomi" or "Miriam".

Please lift the curse.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Nope.

Name must be Irish, and my husband and I must both agree on it. It must go well in between "Bridget" and "Hamilton". It may not start with an "S", a "B", an "H", or a vowel. This is the site where we originally found "Kayla". Good luck.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
We are considering just using the original spelling given there, "Kyla".

I will let you know if and when you are off the hook.

(I wanted "Niamh", but my husband isn't into it. )
 

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Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
 

quote:

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Well, I used to work for an industrial gases company, and part of what I did was to perform a liquid nitrogen demonstration at schools and scout meetings and so forth.

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quote:

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Originally posted by rivka:
Sometimes.

Overripe bananas are good for one thing. Banana bread.

Wait, two things. They make yummy cookies too.

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quote:

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Originally posted by ketchupqueen:

Name must be Irish, and my husband and I must both agree on it. It must go well in between "Bridget" and "Hamilton". It may not start with an "S", a "B", an "H", or a vowel.

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Within those parameters, I like "Margaret". Lots of good nicknames, too. Peggy, Meg, Maggie...

Second choice within your parameters, Rhiannon.

Is the curse lifted?
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
No. My husband has already vetoed Margaret, although I love it, and I don't like Rhiannon with Bridget.
 

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Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
 
Melissa, spelled Maolisa on that site you linked to, means "follower of Jesus."

Bridget Melissa Hamilton
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
I don't like Melissa for personal reasons.

I really liked Caoilainn, but my husband's response was "I have to bless this baby, I need to be able to remember the name!"

I got the same response on Caoimhe. It's a MIDDLE name, for heaven's sakes! The one place where I can use a Gaelic spelling and not worry about people mispronouncing my child's name forever!
 

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Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
 
Maire, pronounced "my-ra", is Irish for Mary.

I love this game!
 

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Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
 
No vowels sucks. There are a lot of good names that start with vowels.

Clare - "bright, clear."
Kacey - "brave."
Kassidy - "clever."
Kathryn - "pure."
Keelin - "slender, fair." Keely, Keelia.
Kiley - "attractive, good looking."
Morgan - "sea dweller."
Renny - "grace; prosperity."
Riley - "valiant."
Zinna - name appearing in the Toler-Aylward family of Shankhill Castle.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
Please lift the curse:

Dina
Leah
Dara
Kelly
Kiera
Cayleigh
Fiona

or

Mackenzie
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
All right, you've tried hard enough I hereby remove the curse. Just don't ruin any more Irish names for us! Or baby names in general, for that matter!

quote:

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No vowels sucks. There are a lot of good names that start with vowels.

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I know. But when the last name starts with "H", middle names with vowels can be problematic, acronymically. That's also why no "S"-- B. S. Hamilton doesn't work for us.

Kiera is out because we're naming our second boy Ciaran, and Kiera is the female form. Fiona reminds Jeff of Shrek ( ).

Oh, I just remembered that we didn't like "M" names because of the same reason as "S" names. Sorry, no "M" names, much as I like many of them.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
The curse has been lifted!

Too bad you are rejecting "B" names, or I would have suggested "Bambino", meaning "please remove this curse".
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by OSTY:
I want a banana cookie recipe

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quote:

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Described as "one of the most remarkable women in Irish history" Granuaile or Grainne Ni Mhaille (ang. as Grace O'Malley) was a renowned sea captain who led a band of 200 sea-raiders from the coast of Galway in the sixteenth century. Twice widowed, twice imprisoned, fighting her enemies both Irish and English for her rights, condemned for piracy, and finally pardoned in London by Queen Elizabeth herself, her fame was celebrated in verse and song and in James Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake." She is often seen as a poetic symbol for Ireland.

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But I almost certainly won't.
 

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Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
 

quote:

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Maire, pronounced "my-ra", is Irish for Mary.

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And can you pronounce Caitlin?
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Coit-leen, with the "oi" somewhere between "oy" and "ay"-- almost like an "i", is how I've always heard it pronounced.

When it's not being Americanized to "Kaytlin" or "Kaitlyn" or something, anyway. (That's usually pronounced "Kate-lin.")
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
(Personally, I wanted "Brigid", not "Bridget, but my husband wouldn't go for that, either.)
 

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Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
 
KQ, that's it. I've always wanted to pronounce it that way when I take attendance as a substitute, just to see the kids' reactions. (I would have put it somewhere between Kawt-leen and Koit-leen, but the brogue is subtle, and varies with region)

BTW, I'm no longer a substitute, I finally got a job.

And a side note on Brigid: My wife wrote a book called "Saint Brigid's Passion," about an Irish priest accused of murder.
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
YOU WERE ALL EVIL!!!!

You make it sound so easy.

It is harder than rocket science.

The way I did it was.

Here is the story.

Wedensday my wife and son are late coming home due to after school conference. My wife, jealous of my free evening, suggests that I could use the time to make the frozen bananas.

I say, "I thought we would all do it. You know, make a family project of it."

She said, "Yes dear, but we don't have time. Just do it."

How hard could it be.

I got off work at 5pm.

By 5:20 I was home. I peeled the bananas on some wax paper. I decided to break a couple in half so that Sasha could enjoy a 5 year old sized one. I then stuck some wooden skewers in each one and stuck them in the freezer.

How long could it take a banana to freeze anyway?

At 7:30 I had had my dinner. I opened up the "Sams" sized container of cashews and prepared them for the bananas. Wait, the wife didn't buy chopped cashews. Pull out the big knife and spend 10 minutes chopping nuts.

Get out the sprinkles. I know Sasha will want sprinkles on his, and we need to use up these. I think they are older than Sasha, maybe older than me.

The sprinkle lid is stuck. Need a bit of force.

Spend 10 minutes sweeping up sprinkles from the floor, table, and wiping a few off of the ceiling.

Now, I've seen Emeril melt chocolate before. Its not hard. OK, I've never cooked with it before, but I know what I've seen. I take out a big pot and put water in it. I start it boiling. Then I take a bowl and pour the chocolate chips into it.

Yes, we are melting Hershey's chocolate chips. We were going to use good cooking chocolate, but its @#$@#$@# expensive.

Put bowl so it is above the boiling water.

Wait.

The chips slowly melt, kind of.

The become very un-chip like, but they don't turn into that deliscious velvety chocolate liquid that Emeril uses so well.

8:30 no change

9:00. Shasha and Momma will be home soon. I change to a bigger pot of water. I turn up the heat. Nothing.

I take out a banana and try coating it with the chocolate. nope. Its not liquid.

Desparate I stick the bowl in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes.

Cindy calls. They are stuck in traffic. How is it going.

I explode all over her, begging for help.

I mention my desparate attempt with microwaving the chocolate.

She says, "Don't put it in too long. That cooks the chocolate more than melts it."

I assure her that I didn't put it in for long, make an excuse, hang up the phone and run to the micro-wave.

Ding.

I have chocolate fudge.

I take out the bananas, but they don't work with the fudge.

They also aren't frozen yet.

I leave them out while I look for another solution.

I put the fudge back on the boiling water.

Then, out of true desparation I do something stupid.

(As if the rest of this was actually doing something smart)

I read the directions on the only remaining bag of chocolate chips.

It says, "Put in pan on low heat to melt."

pan?

No double boiler?

No water and bowl ala Emeril.

Cindy calls, 10 minutes away.

I put the chips in a small pot and see what happens.

They melt beautifully.

I take a semi-hard frozen banana, stick it in the chocolate and ---perfect--

until the stick falls off.

I grab a fork, roll it in cashews, and place it on the wax paper to harden.

I grab another big banana--but now it falls in two. Ok, I grab half of it and do the same, but this time in sprinkles.

Its going good, but I will need more chocolate, and I don't want the evidence of the micro-wave fudge sitting on the stove still trying to melt.

I turn it off.

Then think to put the undone bananas back in the freezer. They may net get any harder, but they won't get any softer.

I take the fudged chocolate and put some of it in with the good chocolate. It ruins the good chocolate.

#@$@#$@#!!@!!

Wait, it just looks dry. It needs some liquid. Someone here mentioned putting a small amount of oil in the chocolate. I have no oil other than olive in the house, and olive oil doesn't sound appetizing.

I go with margarine.

Being scientific with this, I scoop up an oversized spoon full of butter, and throw it in the pot. Repeat.

It works.

Cindy comes in. Sasha comes in, but is walking in his sleep. Cindy likes the way the chocolate looks, and while the banana's drying don't look expert, they do almost resemble chocolate covered frozen bananas. The crazed look on my face warns her. She makes some polite comments about them. We put Sasha to sleep.

I go back into the kitchen. Cindy volunteers to take over. I growl. She decides to help instead.

When all was said and done, they were quite edible.

Sasha, who loved banana's up to 1 month ago, won't eat them of course. Cindy looks at them with a bit of trepidation, if not downright fear.

I however, devour them with gusto. Its called revenge.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 


For future reference: When using cheap chocolate, the extra fat is almost always needed. So I would start with the chips and a tablespoon or two of margarine/butter. Microwave one minute (no more!) and stir. If not completely melted, try giving it another 30 seconds.

Yay for being victorious!
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Hee, hee!

For the record, I have NEVER had a problem making chocolate-dipped frozen bananas.

And I think you need to turn your freezer up.

And Emeril always notes that he's using the bowl so you can see what's happening, but really you should use a proper double-boiler.
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
The line I forgot to put in the above, and good thing I forgot it too...

"They bananas were all half frozen, which helped them droop off the stick. Not more than three of the skewers stayed in the bananas, or mostly half banananas now. There limpness made it difficult to scoop out of the chocolate. Face it, if your banana ain't stiff enough, ain't no-one having fun."
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Awesome tale, Dan.

Inspired by this thread, I made chocolate covered bananas last week.

I think it will be a long time before I do it again.

Things went OK, mostly. The main problem was that the melted chocolate chips went on thicker than ideal. It tasted *supurb* but it was far more chocolate than I shoulda been eating in one sitting!!! Tummy ache....

I tried keeping them in the fridge so-as to have soft bananas inside the hard chocolate shell, but the exposed bottoms turned an icky grey color. >.< They still tasted good, but I was the only one in the family who would actually eat them. :sad smile:

Next time I try, I will try to use some kind of chocolate mixture that will go on thinner and keep the bananas frozen.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Like, say, a ganache?
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
a ganache.

Wow, that is a fun word to say.
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
*goes to look up "ganache"*
 

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Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
*returns from looking up "ganache"*

Oh, baby that sounds good!

Yeah, I'd drizzle that over a banana. Heck, I'd drizzle it over a *lot* of things.
 

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Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
 


Good banana story Dan.
 

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