~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Monday, September 27, 2010

Chocolate-Covered Banana Bites...Frozen Or Not.

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Chocolate-Covered Banana Bites.... Today, I had 3 bananas that needed to be used up. They had been sitting on the counter for a few days and were a bit ripe... with brown spots all over them. I knew I needed to use them or else place them in the freezer for another use. I could wait another day and bake some banana bread/bars/muffins,etc. But you know, I was tired. I really wasn't up to baking or cleaning dishes...so I decided to proceed with a simpler version, making some delicious and quick banana bites. I had come across this really neat recipe on (never home)maker's blog and really wanted to try it. I had one problem, though. I wouldn't be able to use peanut butter in the chocolate covering due to my husband's intolerance to peanut butter. But I did have some raw almonds...why not make my own almond butter and substitute that? It would probably work... maybe not as well. You definitely need to have a powerful blender to make your own nut butter, otherwise just use the natural store-bought kind. It would be ideal if your nut butter is quite smooth as you will get a smoother chocolate finish that way. Mine wasn't quite as smooth as I wanted it to be...it probably needed a couple more minutes in the blender. Somehow I managed... with bits of almond showing through the chocolate:). If you don't care for the addition of a nut butter in the chocolate covering, you can easily try this version from Epicurious... it is much simpler:).
These morsels were incredibly delicious...they were quick, easy and elegant-looking. I loved the addition of the nut butter. My chocolate and nut butter measurements are just approximations. Feel free to adjust to your preference. You can use less nut butter if you like... I loved how easily you can decorate the banana bites~ the coconut was my favorite. Please feel free to make the original with the peanut butter/chocolate covering. I am sure they will taste even better:). This is a great alternative to a chocolate truffle and for using up some of your bananas:)... The banana bites can easily be frozen and eaten later as a snack. Loved these banana bites. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: adapted from Here
2-4 bananas, sliced~ preferably not so ripe as mine:)
1/2-3/4 cup chocolate pieces(chips, chunks, etc)
1/4-1/3 cup smooth nut butter( peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)
optional decoration ~candied ginger/orange/lemon peel, unsweetened coconut, chopped nuts, cocoa nibs, crushed cookies, etc.

Directions:

1. Cut banana into 1 inch slices. Set aside.
2. Make nut butter. Blend nuts(raw or roasted) in a powerful blender on high till smooth. Add a pinch of salt if nuts are unsalted. You can add a bit of oil(not too much) as it is blending, if need be. OR simply use store-bought.
3. Combine chocolate pieces and nut butter and melt in a double boiler or microwave. Stir until smooth.
4. Dip banana slice in melted chocolate mixture. Completely coat with chocolate mixture...you may need to use a spoon to cover the entire banana. Using a fork, lift the chocolate covered banana, tapping on edge of container to remove excess chocolate. Drag the fork tines on the edge of the container and scrape off any further chocolate that pools on the bottom of the fork.
5. Place chocolate covered banana on parchment paper. I like to use a knife to lift the chocolate covered banana off the fork and then slide it on the parchment paper. This gives a smoother finish. Proceed to do the same with the rest of the bananas.
TIP: You can easily dip the chocolate covered bananas and then roll them completely in chopped/sliced nuts, shredded coconut, etc. without having to worry too much about getting a smooth chocolate finish.
6. Sprinkle the top of the chocolate covered bananas with your favorite toppings.
7. Place in fridge( if you want a soft banana center) or freezer( if you want a frozen center) to harden the chocolate.

6 comments:

Pushpa said...

Chocolates and banana are just too good together...your chocolate covered banana bites look delicious and are very tempting...awesome presentation.

Pushpa @ simplehomefood.com

DeAnna said...

Came across your blog today doing a search for whole grain bagel recipes, the only one I had was whole grain banana and I didn't want that. I used your regular bagel recipe and substituted some whole wheat flour and YUM!! My girls are so excited and loved helping me make them. They are so good. Now I'm looking through the rest of your blog and can't wait to try some more of your recipes. :) Glad I stumbled upon your blog. :)

Ellie said...

Pushpa, Thank you ever so much. Yes, chocolate and bananas do go well together...

DeAnna,
Oh, Thank you for your feedback! I am so glad the bagels worked for you...even better that you had a fun time with your girls making them:). I hope you enjy your time here looking through some of my recipes...even if you change and adapt to your preference. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know. I really appreciate it. Glad I could be of help...always love it when I can pass something along, that I have learned, to others:)



Have a great day!~Ellie

Ginger Cookies said...

Mmmm , is looks yummy , amazing ! :)))

Unknown said...

Hi. How long would they keep using the fridge version? I'd like to make them ahead of time for a party.

Ellie said...

Mermaid8mermaid, I should think they should be good for several hours. After that I'm not sure how well the bananas do... especially if they turn brown. I like them frozen, so that is the method I use most. Hope that helps...