📋 Instructions

1. 1Peel and halve — Peel 6 bananas and cut each crosswise into two equal halves, about 6 cm each. [Even halves freeze at the same rate, so no pop thaws before the others.] The cut face should look pale and dry, not wet.
2. 2Insert the sticks — Push one stick into the cut end of each half, about 4 cm deep. [A deep insertion stops the pop from spinning or falling off mid-dip.] The stick should stand straight when you hold it up.
3. 3Freeze solid — Lay the pops on a parchment-lined tray and freeze at -18 C (0 F) for 25 minutes. [A solid banana holds the coating; a soft one dents under the chocolate.] They are ready when the surface is hard and frosted.
4. 4Melt the chocolate — Chop 300 g white chocolate and melt it over a pan of barely simmering water at 45 C (113 F), stirring for 4 minutes. [Indirect heat keeps white chocolate below its scorch point.] It is done when fluid, glossy, and free of lumps.
5. 5Thin the coating — Stir 1 tsp neutral oil into the melted chocolate and let it cool to 32 C (90 F), about 5 minutes. [Cooled chocolate clings in a thin shell instead of a thick drip.] Test with a spoon: it should ribbon, not pour.
6. 6Dip three pops — Dip 3 frozen bananas into the chocolate, turning to coat three-quarters of the way up, then tap off the excess. [Three at a time keeps the rest frozen.] The coating should look smooth and opaque.
7. 7Add the eyes — Press 2 mini chocolate chips into each pop for eyes while the coating is still tacky, within 20 seconds. [The chocolate grips the chips only while wet.] The chips should sit flush, not sink.
8. 8Set and serve — Return the pops to the freezer for 10 minutes at -18 C (0 F) until the shell is fully hard. [A short final chill prevents fingerprints and cracking.] The coating is set when it rings faintly under a fingernail.