Banana Ghosts with Peanut Butter Dip
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Total: 2 hr 30 min (includes freezing times)
- Active: 15 min
Ingredients
Ghosts:
4 firm, ripe bananas
8 lollipop or ice pop sticks
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons coconut oil
24 chocolate chips
Dip:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Candy spiders, for decorating, optional
Directions
Special equipment:
8 lollipop or ice pop sticks, a toothpick- Start the ghosts: Line a baking sheet with parchment and make room for it in your freezer. Peel the bananas and cut in half crosswise, then lengthwise for 8 pieces total. Insert 1 stick in the short, flat side of each; arrange on the prepared baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the dip: Combine the cream cheese and brown sugar in a food processor; process until light and very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides then add the peanut butter, yogurt and vanilla. Process, scraping down the sides halfway through, until very light and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Combine the semisweet chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50-percent power in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until melted, about 60 seconds total. Transfer to a resealable sandwich bag, twist to close like a pastry bag and snip a small corner. Pipe concentric circles on the surface of the dip. Drag a toothpick through the circles, starting from the center and working your way out, to create a spider web design. Add a few candy spiders, if desired.
- Finish the ghosts: Once the bananas are frozen, combine the white chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and melt, stirring until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Hold a frozen banana over the bowl and spoon white chocolate over the top, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet and press in 3 chocolate chips, flat-sides up, to make 2 eyes and a mouth. Repeat with the remaining bananas and chocolate chips. Return to the freezer until the white chocolate is hardened, at least 15 minutes, up to 4 hours.