1. Peel the bananas and cut each one in half across the centre. Slide a wooden stick into an end of each one to create a pop. Wrap each one in a little parchment paper and then secure them in a food bag. Pop in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight, until frozen. These can be made to this stage up a to few months in advance.

2. When ready to decorate, chop the chocolate and melt in a small bowl in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water on the hob. Pour into a tall, narrow jug or glass and leave to cool.

3. Dip a frozen banana halfway into the melted chocolate, then working quickly before it sets, scatter the sprinkles over the top. Then, pierce the wooden stick into a section of egg carton so the pop is standing upright. Repeat with the remaining three banana pops.

4. Finally, whip the cream and spoon it into the prepared piping bag. Pipe a rosette of cream on the top of each banana pop, sprinkle with nuts, if using, and sit a cherry into it. At this stage these can be returned to the freezer (where space has been created to fit the upstanding pops in the egg carton) or enjoy straight away.

I developed this recipe for the Summer ’16 edition of Supervalu magazine, Fresh.

Photo (c) Harry Weir