If you like mini desserts or food on a stick, then you are going to LOVE these Mini Banana Hazelnut Espresso Ice Cream Pops! And you know what? They'll make the perfect post-BBQ, Father's Day treat!
From the time I first heard about the quick and easy, one-ingredient deliciousness that is banana ice cream, I pretty much shelved my KA ice cream maker attachment and started whipping up the stuff like my life depended on it. Why? Well, I do love me some bananas and um, let's see... it is the only ingredient required, it's no-churn and it's simply delicious all on its own. GENIUS! Right?? Bravo to the person who thought of this.
The Dude was not only thrilled that the ice cream attachment was no longer occupying much sort after real estate in the freezer, but that it is dairy-free and he too could easily whip up a small batch on a whim. WIN-WIN! He does most of the grocery shopping and on every single trip he returns with enough bananas to keep a little village of monkeys fed. Cute AND annoying, but it means we always have frozen bananas on hand for a snack, or after-dinner treat.
I also love its versatility. Sometimes we add other frozen fruits (pineapple, berries, cherries), melted chocolate, cocoa, matcha tea, espresso, nuts etc. YUMMMMMMM!
You need not look far on the interweb to find the recipe for banana ice cream, or some variation of it - probably why I hadn't blogged about it before. Yet, here I am doing just that all thanks to an ad for Magnum Ice Cream Bars. I drooled puddles and then I kept thinking about it for days. Normally I would just bite the bullet and get it, but lactose does a number on my system and with major surgery just a few days away, I don't want to risk it.
So, into the freezer I went to grab some of our never-ending supply of bananas to make my very own knock-offs. My one regret was making only four.
You'll find that the banana ice cream softens quickly, so it's important to work quickly. I used the metal baking sheet that held the ice cream molds in the freezer, as my work surface to help slow melting. A little messy, but that's how I like my ice cream.
You can find the mold I used here .
Ingredients
Ice Cream
- 2 ripened bananas peeled, sliced and frozen
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut cream makes the ice cream a little smoother/richer
- ¼ cup hazelnuts roasted and coarsely chopped
Chocolate Shell
- 1 cup milk chocolate I used Callebaut Milk Callets 33.6%
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Garnish
- melted chocolate for drizzling I used Valrhona Blond Dulcey 32%
- chopped roasted hazelnuts
Instructions
Ice Cream
- Thinly slice ripened bananas and place in the freezer overnight, or 3 hours at minimum.
- Remove from the freezer and place in a good quality food processor or blender.
- Pulse at first to break up the bananas, then allow to process or blend until smooth. How long will depend on your equipment. Mine was ready in about 6 minutes.
- Once smooth, add the espresso and coconut cream and process for a few seconds until incorporated.
- And the hazelnuts and pulse to distribute.
- Use a spatula to transfer and press the ice cream into the molds.
- Insert popsicle sticks, place molds on a small baking sheet and place in freezer for at least six hours. For these, overnight worked best.
Chocolate Shell
- Place the chocolate callets in a microwave safe dish. I used a glass, which made it easier to dip the popsicles.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds. Once melted and smooth, add the coconut oil and stir until fully incorporated. Let cool slightly.
- While cooling, melt the other chocolate for drizzling. It's a very small amount so you should not need more than 30 seconds.
Assembly
- Remove the popsicles from the freeze and unmold. One at a time, quickly dip popsicles into the chocolate mixture and immediately place on a cold surface. I used the baking sheet on which they were frozen.
- Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle the lighter chocolate onto the pops and garnish with any leftover hazelnuts before chocolate sets.
- Return to the freezer until ready to serve.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
What a fabulous summer treat! Easy to make and a delight to enjoy. AND a great use for those sweet & ripe bananas! Hope your feeling better Jacquee!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Perfect for those speckled bananas! I have some good and bad days, but overall things are looking up. Thanks, Deb.
Paula says
Kickin' myself for not buying the ice cream maker attachment to my KA! These look so good. Hope you are on the mend and feeling more like yourself Jacquee. Take care xo.
I Sugar Coat It! says
I am getting there, Paula - although, not as quickly as I'd like. It's great to have, but I don't use mine as much anymore. I always forget to put it in the freezer and to leave it there takes up too much room. :\
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
This is like the combination from heaven! I love the sound of these!!
I Sugar Coat It! says
I happen to think so too, Cathleen!! 😉 Thank you.
Regina says
Making ice cream bars from banana ice cream is genius! We have that never ending supply of frozen bananas too. Mostly because Olivia seems to like them one day and not the next. But I always buy enough as if she had a permanent love affair with them 😉
I Sugar Coat It! says
RIGHT! And I'm surprised I haven't seen it anywhere else. I still can't believe she will be one soon! Where does the time go???
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Oh my goodness, these look phenomenal! I love making no churn banana ice cream for me and the kiddos but have never made them into ice cream pops with all these yummy goodies! Such a genius and delicious idea! Can't wait to try this!
I Sugar Coat It! says
Thanks and hope you do! They're messy to eat, but that's the best part. brings back such fun childhood memories!
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness says
These are totally irresistible! I think I will need at least 3 at one time to be satisfied. I haven't tried the banana ice cream method yet. Gotta try it after looking at these pops!
I Sugar Coat It! says
They are little minis, so three would be about the same as one regular-sized pop. 😉