Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Pops

Peel the bananas and cut each banana in half crosswise. From the cut end, carefully insert a stick into each half, trying to get it most of the way through but not poking out the end. The banana may crack on the side slightly, but the chocolate will cover this later.

Place banana pops in a dish, on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Put dish in the freezer for a couple hours if time allows. Less freezing time should work (even 15 minutes). The cold banana will help the ganache set more quickly (so you can eat it more quickly).

When you’re ready to finish the bananas, place your topping(s) on a plate or platter without a rim for easy rolling.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edge and the cream breaks a slight simmer, but don’t allow it to boil. At this point, turn off the heat, then add the chocolate and peanut butter and stir, stir, stir! It will take a minute or two, and if you haven’t made ganache before you’ll think it failed, but the cream and chocolate will melt together and become shiny after a minute or two of stirring. No need for a whisk—I used a spoon. The ganache will stay melted for a while, so you don’t have to be in a huge rush during the next step.

For each banana, hold it over the pan and spoon ganache all over it. Then use your spoon to scrape off the excess ganache as you hold the banana upside down. This will prevent lots of chocolate from getting all mixed in with your toppings.

Lightly roll the coated banana in your topping of choice (spooning the toppings over it, if it’s easier). Lightly pat the toppings onto the banana if they’re not sticking. Shake off any excess toppings, then lay the banana back in the dish you froze it in. Repeat the process with the remaining bananas.

Put them back in the freezer until the ganache has hardened completely, only 10 minutes or so.