Banana & Cinnamon Coconut Chocolate Ice Cream Cups

This is a very simple and fun treat to make with the kids. You can also make it nut free by leaving out the nut topping and top with shredded coconut instead. This combination idea comes from a Vietnamese dessert my mum makes called Kem Chuoi (Banana ice cream) which is simply a sugar banana (flattened slightly) covered in sweetened coconut cream, sprinkled with toasted peanuts and frozen. Making them in a mini patty means you can just have a small bite sized treat at a time rather than the whole banana and it just looks way better!

 

Using very ripe bananas is best (they need to have black spots on them to create the ice cream texture and sweetness) and you can get the kids to help slice the bananas (with a butter knife) and assemble them in the cupcake patties.

Prep time: 20 mins
Freezing time: 1 hr

Makes 24

You will need:

• 24 silicone mini cupcake patties
• 1-2 ripe small bananas (with some  black spots but not overripe and mushy and not too big as the slices won’t fit in the patty!)
• 1/2 can coconut cream at room temperature (shake the can well and pour out about half the can)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• 100gm good quality dark chocolate
• Handful of macadamia nuts

• Mix the coconut cream with the cinnamon and coconut sugar (I use my magic bullet)
• Slice the bananas about 8 mm thick (it’s ok to go thicker if the kids are helping!)
• Place a banana slice in each patty
• Spoon about 1 heaped teaspoon of the coconut cream mixture over the banana slices

• Tap the patties on the kitchen bench to help spread the coconut cream evenly over the banana slices
• Place in freezer for about 30 minutes
• While you are waiting, roughly chop the macadamia nuts if using
• Melt the chocolate in a double broiler
• Spoon the chocolate over each patty to cover the coconut cream
• Sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts or shredded coconut for nut free option
• Return to the freezer for at least another 20 minutes
• Serve frozen or store in the freezer for a few weeks
• Hope you enjoy!

A big thank you for the beautiful props on loan from my gorgeous friend Natacha at Lydie du Bray Antiques who has some really beautiful French Antiques. The Oval bread board is from early 20th Century and the Porcelain serving dish is 19th Century. All available for hire or sale (I do not have any affiliations or earn any commission from Lydie du Bray Antiques, just incredibly lucky to be trusted with these beautiful antiques for my food photography!)