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United States, Camping

Campfire Banana Boats

A whole banana slit in its peel, stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows, wrapped in foil and baked over the coals until gooey: the classic American campfire dessert you eat with a spoon.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time12 min
DifficultyEasy
About servingsMelted chocolate and marshmallow are hot enough to burn, so let them cool well before giving them to children. Pack out the used foil and put the fire out completely with water.

Method

  1. Let a fire in a fire ring burn down to glowing coals, or light a charcoal grill, and set a grate over it. Tear one sheet of foil about 30 × 30 cm per banana. Ripe bananas with yellow skin and a few brown freckles are sweetest and turn the softest.

  2. Lay each banana on its side with the curve facing down. Cut lengthwise through the top peel and into the flesh, stopping 1 cm from each end and without cutting through the bottom peel. Gently open the slit with your fingers to make a pocket.

    Add in this stepRipe bananas, unpeeled 2

  3. Press the chocolate and marshmallows into the opening, alternating them. It's fine if they pile up a little over the top.

    Add in this stepChocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate 40 gMini marshmallows 30 g

  4. Stand each banana upright in the centre of a sheet of foil, bring the foil up around it and fold it closed at the top so the opening stays upright. Set the parcels seam side up on the grate (or at the edge of the coals) and cook over charcoal (medium heat) for . Keep them out of the flames, or the bottom will burn.

    charcoal (medium heat)

  5. Lift one off with tongs and carefully open the foil: it's ready when the chocolate has melted and the marshmallows are puffed and soft. If not, close it and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Let them stand for before eating; melted sugar is extremely hot.

  6. Open the foil out like a plate, crumble the graham crackers over the top and eat the filling straight from the peel with a spoon.

    Add in this stepGraham crackers (or digestive biscuits) 1

Cook's tip

Green, underripe bananas stay firm and taste starchy. Mini marshmallows fit the slit best and melt evenly; snip large ones into quarters with scissors. A spoonful of peanut butter or a few sliced strawberries in the filling is delicious too.

Cooking it at camp

At home, bake the foil-wrapped bananas on a tray at 200 °C for 10 to 12 minutes, or on a covered barbecue for the same time. You can also cook them in a covered frying pan over low heat for about 10 minutes.