A Three-Ingredient Way to Cheer Up
Apropos of nothing, here’s a recipe for something that can make things that suck a lot, suck a little bit less: Dark chocolate and coconut dipped frozen bananas, which I just made from scratch.
Instead of coconut, you can use crushed-up corn flakes, peanuts, rice krispies, or whatever else you think is tasty and have lying around.
I ripped and slightly revised this recipe from BecauseImAddicted, a fashion blog I really like by the lovely Geri H. (who used to work with me at GOOD). Here’s how to make them:
1. Slice up a banana or two or three, put them on a tray, and throw them in the freezer. You’re not freezing them at this point, you’re just making sure they don’t brown or get mushy while you prep the rest.
2. Now you need to melt your chocolate. I’m not a microwave person but if you are, you can put dark chocolate chips or chunks in a bowl and throw them in there. Check it every minute, for up to three. Or do it the old-fashioned way in a double-boiler or a makeshift-double-boiler. This is important: DO NOT LET ANY WATER GET IN THE CHOCOLATE. (I had to throw out two batches of chocolate before I figured this out, hence the all caps.) Water toughens melted chocolate, which makes it a real bitch for dipping. Another quick thing: Chocolate tends to hold its shape even when melted, so it may look solid but if you stir it, you’ll find it’s gooey. So keep an eye on it.
3. Put shredded unsweetened coconut (or substitute) onto a plate.
4. Remove your bananas from the freezer and start dipping. Coat each piece in chocolate, roll it in your flakes, then put it back on the tray. You may need to reheat the chocolate halfway through if it gets thick.
5. Once you’re done with all the pieces, throw the tray back in the freezer. Once they’ve frozen, you can put them in a ziplock. I found that taking them out of the freezer 10 minutes before I want one is the perfect amount of time to get it unfrozen enough to taste great, but still kinda icey.
Annnd voila. Do you have any three- or four-ingredient desserts to share?
It’s hard to beat the amazing no-dairy Peanut Butter Cookie recipe you can find all over the internet.
1 cup white sugar (or 1/2 white, 1/2 brown or even 1 cup raw sugar works)
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 egg
Combine ingredients. Form spoonfuls of batter into small 1″ balls. Roll these in additional white or raw sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Use a fork to flatten cookies and make the traditional criss-cross shape for PB cookies. Bake at 350F for about ten minutes.
Turns out about two dozen small cookies. Recipe can be easily double or tripled as needed.
I love coconut treats!
Coconut pecan bars
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup pecans
1/2 maple syrup, agave, or honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Blend pecans in blender or food processor, throw in coconut, sweetener of choice and sea salt (can add more if you need it sweeter).
Scoop out of blender, press into 8 x 8 glass dish. Put in the freezer for about 15 minutes, pull out and cut into bars. You can eat it all or store in freezer. It does need to stay partially frozen or it will fall apart.
Oooh what a good idea! That sounds delicious and a pretty guilt-free treat if I can resist having the whole batch in one sitting ;-)
You can make ice cream with frozen bananas too! http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/stepbystep-instructions-for-oneingredient-ice-cream-097170
Salivating while reading, these sound great. These happen to be 3 of my favorite ingredients. I do a lot of data/coconut almond bites but will try these. I also like compote and baked apples this time of year but I’m a mushy treat person.
Tell us your compote or baked apples recipes?? I just got six pounds of apples in my farm share and other than eating them raw I’m feeling a little uninspired.
Heavy sigh! Alas, I must be the only person in the world who doesn’t like chocolate. (I also don’t like bananas, but that’s a whole other issue/flavor).
Siobhan, below is a recipe for apple crisp – warning: it is fattening, decadent and wonderful as well as EASY.
Ingredients:
5 lbs McIntosh or Mcoun apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
1 1/2 C flour
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C light brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 C oatmeal
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 14 x 2 inch oval baking dish
-Peel, core and cut appled into large wedges. Combine apples with the zests, juices, sugar and spices. Pour into baking dish.
-To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter by hand over the apples.
-Place crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm (with or without vanilla bean ice cream).
Enjoy!
I’m gluten free but I have a feeling I would easily approximate this recipe with GF oats and some other things I have lying around. Thank you! And I don’t care about calories. If I’m having dessert, I’m having dessert. :)
Greetings Siobhan,
I am going to try this recipe today since I have almond meal and pears on hand. This is a gluten-free recipe and looks divine and not that hard to make. I am sure you can substitute apples instead of pears.
http://simplygluten-free.blogspot.com/2010/09/gluten-free-dairy-free-pear-almond-cake.html
Happy Baking:-)
ooh – that all sounds so good!
A friend introduced me to these over the summer – they are not your typical idea of desert – but absolutely delicious!
Dates, pitted and halved, lengthwise
Goat’s cheese – I like the somewhat soft kinds (feta works too)
Aged balsamic vinegar
Place a piece of cheese on each date half and add one or two drops of balsamic vinegar.
* You can also serve them as appetizers – but I think they’re a bit sweet for that.
This is really simple, but so great if for when it’s HOT like right now here in LA. I take a square pyrex and put in a about an inch of Strawberry Lemondade and pop it in the freezer. I check it about once an hour and stir it with a fork so that it’s gets chopped up like a sno-cone. Voila–strawberry lemonade granita for dessert!
This is how I will be spending my weekend – trying out these recipes. Delicious, and thank you ladies!
Me too! Apple crisp: Meet your maker.