Monkey Tails

Frozen chocolate-covered bananas on a stick. That’s it. And yet every kid (and most adults) will reach for one of these before any other dessert on the table. Monkey tails are dead simple, endlessly fun to make, and taste like a frozen treat you’d pay $5 for at a boardwalk stand.

Cut each banana in half crosswise, peel them, and slide a popsicle stick into the flat end. Brush with orange juice before freezing. The OJ does two things: it prevents the banana from turning brown, and it adds a barely-there citrus note that pairs surprisingly well with the chocolate.

Freeze the banana halves until solid before dipping. This step is not optional. Soft bananas melt the chocolate on contact and you end up with a thin, patchy coat instead of a thick, snappy shell.

Melt the chocolate chips with a tablespoon of shortening over low heat. The shortening thins the chocolate so it flows smoothly and sets with that satisfying crack when you bite through. Cool the chocolate slightly before dipping so it’s fluid but not so hot it melts the frozen banana.

Dip in a deep cup rather than trying to spoon the chocolate on. Submerge, pull out slowly, let the excess drip off, then wrap in plastic and back to the freezer.

Pro Tips

• Use bananas that are ripe but still firm. Overripe bananas go mushy when frozen and slide off the stick.
• Work quickly when dipping. The frozen banana chills the chocolate fast, so you have seconds before it sets.
• Let them sit at room temperature for 2-3 minutes before eating. Straight from the freezer they’re rock-hard.

Variations

• Nutty monkey tails: Roll the freshly dipped bananas in chopped peanuts or sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
• Peanut butter drizzle: Melt a tablespoon of peanut butter and drizzle over the chocolate coating for a PB-chocolate combo.