Nerdy Bananas

Intro: Nerdy Bananas

I wanted to create a twist on the American summer classic: the chocolate covered frozen banana. The fireworks display on Fourth of July inspired me to think of a way to capture the color bursts of this famous summer day. What better way to incorporate my favorite childhood candy--Willy Wonka's Nerds?

I didn't actually know if this unusual flavor combination would work. Nerds are sour and tangy, while the chocolate and banana are sultry and sweet. The addition of Nerds complements the sweetness perfectly, helping to cut through the richness. It's strangely addictive -- I've eaten two of them while writing this!

They're really easy to make and my four year old son, Alexander, was able to help roll the Nerds in the chocolate (he was also on chocolate cleanup duty).

I hope you try these and enjoy this bright and cheery summer treat.

LMNOpeas

STEP 1: Ingredients

3 ripe bananas
Baking sheet, lined with parchment or wax paper
Rainbow Colored Craft Sticks
8-10oz Chocolate of your choice - I used milk and dark
2 tbsp  unsalted butter + 1 tbsp shortening
small jar
2 pkg. Rainbow Nerds

STEP 2: Prep Bananas & Insert Sticks

Peel Bananas. Cut each banana in half (as shown in the photo). Insert a rainbow colored craft stick into the cut-end of each banana. Make sure you push gently so the banana doesn't break. Leave enough room on the end of stick to use as handle for dipping into chocolate.

Place bananas in Ziploc bag for 3-6 hrs or overnight. The more frozen solid the banana, the better the chocolate will adhere.

STEP 3: Prep & Melt Chocolate

Chop chocolate into pieces and cut off  2 tbsp of butter. * I added an extra tbsp of shortening because my first batch of chocolate crystallized.* 

Fill a small pot or saucepan 1/2 way with water  and place bowl on top to create double boiler. Heat should be medium low to low to prevent burning of chocolate. When water starts to simmer, add chocolate and stir. Once it starts to melt, add butter and tbsp of shortening. Stir until smooth.

Remove from heat.

STEP 4: Prep Nerds

Pour two boxes of nerds onto plate or whatever surface you are using for rolling. Have your parchment or wax-paper lined baking sheet nearby. Remove bananas from freezer. Pour chocolate into jar.

STEP 5: Coat Bananas

Finally, the fun part and the messiest. Roll banana around on plate with nerds and coat evenly.  Place on baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Repeat with remaining bananas. Place baking sheet into freezer for 30 min to set.

Enjoy!

STEP 6: Clean Up!

Never Waste Chocolate!

Comments

[Dlillard]

looking taste

[sarbear321]

Cool!

[lmnopeas]

Thanks!

[AussieAnglerGal]

ok....didn't add the nerds but i froze a banana and dipped it in chocolate

myself and another banana hater tried it aaaanddddddd......................
it was nasty.....i could taste nothing but banana

.....maybe i didn't freeze it enough?

i'm not being snappy, after all its a really neat idea and i might try to make it with nectarines instead! :D

[lmnopeas]

I'm glad you at least tried it with chocolate. ;)

The nerds add a completely different flavor profile, both sour and sweet. It should have taken away the initial taste of banana which I'm assuming you really dislike.

Sometimes it takes 5 times trying a new food, before your palate adapts to it. (No, Im not suggesting you eat more bananas) But, if there are foods you generally don't like or just think you wouldn't like, the trick is tasting it at least five times before you rule it out.

[AussieAnglerGal]

loved "nerds" as a little kid
too bad i'm a banana-hater :(

[lmnopeas]

The flavor of the banana is completely transformed. First, it's frozen, next it's drenched in chocolate and then finally it's finished with a heavy coat of nerds. If there was any way to get you to not hate a banana, this would be it! ;)

[AussieAnglerGal]

OK thanks! i guess i'll have to try this one day
thanks Lmnopeas

[bjarne96]

nice house! i gonna make it on minecraft.

[Monsterguy]

I didn't realise this was a real food product having only seen them on Arrested Development :)

It's a terrible shame I hate bannanas so much :(

[mytomatoes]

Yeah; I thought these were only on Arrested Development too. I guess the Bluths knew that this product was more popular than it seemed.

Great combination by the way. +1

[codongolev]

am I the only one that read the title and thought, "NERDY BANANAS, BATMAN!"

[mikimouse11]

looks good! I'm tempted to try it with Pop Rocks!

[lmnopeas]

Pop Rocks and chocolate are an amazing combo. I bet they would be awesome!

[shadow564]

try it with nuts its super delishcous

[coopgrl88]

I agree with you...that sounds like a neat idea too!

[bath514]

I would cut bananas first, then put the sticks in, then peel. It seems to make it easier and less damage to the bananas.

[dramioneforinfinity]

I'm definitely making these, that it is, once I convince my mom... This is gonna be tough...

[claudiorox]

Eat Italian food, it's better :D

[kools421]

This is to hard. I'll pay someone to make this for me