St. Barth’s
Bonjour, y’all! Is it cool if we get boozy on a Tuesday? Can we agree to put out some beach vibes even if it’s from the desk of our chair at work? Today I’m sharing these BBC popsicles with you (that’s Bailey’s, banana, and coconut!), and in order to do so, I’ve gotta do some backpedaling. You need hear about the vacay to St. Barth’s that inspired these bad boys. So let’s dive in!
St. Barth’s
At the end of May, Brett and I traveled with our main squeeze BFFs to St. Barth’s, the sunny overseas collectivity of France located in the West Indies. The island had long been on my bucket list and I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to go. Two flights and a dicey puddle jumper was all it took to transport us to a place that felt a world away. Within minutes of landing on the island, I could tell that we weren’t in Kansas (erm, Alabama) anymore.
St. Barth’s is a small tropical island with stunning white sand beaches and crystal waters surrounding otherwise green and rocky terrain. While the island is very French in terms of language, culture, and cuisine, it is well-traveled by American and European tourists who are seeking out privacy, glamour, and a few glasses of bubbly from the comfort of their beach chair. It’s basically Posh Spice meets Jimmy Buffet which is somehow right up my alley.
Eden Rock
Our time was split between two resorts, Eden Rock and Le Toiny, which would provide us with two different island experiences. The first half of our trip at Eden Rock was spent downing frozen cocktails and bronzing our pasty areas, taking those lazy beach moments to do some serious people watching. While the other three read and napped in their beach chairs, I chipped away at another bucket list item of mine, practicing French from the Duolingo app on my phone. By night, we indulged in some island delicacies and absolutely killed the restaurant scene. Trust when I say there was no carb left behind.
I wasn’t prepared for the amount of European-style sunbathing that we would be met with, and we found ourselves eye-to-eye with a few “pairs” on more than one occasion. While most of the gals running around topless were older women sporting a situation that was most akin to a set of fried eggs on a stick, we did come across some girls who, I can only assume, were Armenian swimsuits models. These were women that had clearly never birthed or nursed children, and I would chalk them up under “People I Never Want to Share a Beach With Ever Again.”
I don’t have terrible body image, but I learned on this vacation that I’m not ready for that level of distraction while on a romantic vacation with my husband. If anyone is going to be topless, it will be me (and it will be in the privacy and comfort of my own villa, please and thank you).
Le Toiny
Our second resort, Le Toiny, was a quiet retreat tucked in the green mountainside on the other end of the island. Every inch of the resort felt serene, like we had discovered a private oasis of sorts. We spent our days there sipping rosé at the pool, and relaxing in the privacy of our rooms. We trekked the hilly, goat-studded mountainside next to our hotel and visited many of the island’s beaches that each felt like private Caribbean treasures- unspoiled, raw, stunning. Brett tooled us around the island in a little blue Moke, a vehicle that drove like a go-cart and sported a testy gear shift and a tarped roof. I gained a few gray hairs skidding around the island on those four wheels, but I’ll be darned if we didn’t make some memories.
BBC
There were a lot of highlights on our trip, but one of my absolute favorite discoveries was the BBC- Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The BBC is a blended frozen drink made with fresh banana, cream of coconut, and a touch of booze from a shot of Bailey’s. I ordered one on the first day of our trip and it was love at first taste. Creamy, tropical, and ultra-decadent, the BBC replaced every space in my heart previously occupied by pina coladas, mudslides, and the good ole’ Miami Vice. The BBC and I are new forever friends.
Upon returning from our vacation, I began taste testing some of my own and eventually decided to up the ante be creating a BBC popsicle. I’m a firm believer that cocktails and dessert are always appropriate, so combining the two seemed like a natural fit. After a few test runs, I landed the perfect mixture of booze, fruit, and cream, and now I can relive my St. Barth’s trip (sans the boobs) with my very own BBC popsicles.
How to Make Them
This boozy treat does not disappoint. With only three ingredients, six if you count the chocolate shell and shredded coconut, these BBC popsicles are simple to prepare, inexpensive to make, and the coolest way to bring some booze to your beach parties from here on out. To make your own BBC popsicles, simply combine 1/2 cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream with 1 cup of cream of coconut and 2 large bananas in a blender. Puree until smooth and pour the mixture into a popsicle mold. I use this one at home, but you can check out my post here for some ideas on how to make popsicles if you don’t have a mold.
The Chocolate Shell
Once the pops are frozen solid, you have the option of dipping them in chocolate. Simply melt together some bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil, stirring until glossy and smooth. Dip the unmolded BBC popsicles into the chocolate mixture and sprinkle on some toasted coconut, if you’re into that kind of thing. Allow them to firm back up in the freezer or feel free to dive right in! The chocolate shell can soften the popsicle, so just know you’re in for a mess if you opt to eat them right away.
The booze in these BBC popsicles is 100% necessary, but be sure to get your measurements right. Alcohol doesn’t freeze so if you add too much booze or not enough banana and coconut, you may wind up with mushy pops on your hands. The chocolate shell is completely optional, but I think it certainly makes them a little more festive.
I’m leaving you all a list with our favorite things to eat and do in St. Barth’s. If you plan to head that way any time soon, please consider these a must. If I ever make my way to St. Barth’s again, I can promise you I’ll find a BBC. In the meantime, what are your favorite beach drinks? Are there any Caribbean locations I need to add to my bucket list?
Where We Stayed in St. Barth’s:
Where We Ate in St. Barth’s:
Bonito
Our favorite meal in St. Barth’s. Beautiful view and terrific food in the heart of Gustavia.
Tamarin
Beautiful garden dining in this open air restaurant. Fresh seafood and terrific wines.
Orega
French-Japanese fusion at this Gustavia restaurant. Excellent sashimi and sushi rolls!
Cabane De L’Isle
Beachside dining at Cheval Blanc Resort. We had our best cocktails at this restaurant which also offered a deliciously eclectic menu.
Maya’s To Go
Perfect grab-and-go meals for beach picnics.
25 Quarter
The best bar we happened upon. The widest selection of bourbons on the island and terrific cocktails to match.
Boulangerie Choisy
Lunch, coffee, and french pastries. A must stop.
Hotel Le Toiny
We were happy to dine at our hotel for dinner one evening. Quiet, romantic, private, delicious.
What We Did in St. Barth’s
Snorkle and sunbathe at Gouverneur Beach
Hike to Columbier Beach
People watch on St. Jean Beach
Sunday Brunch Party at Nikki Beach
Shop in St. Jean
Shop in Gustavia
BBC Popsicles
A dessert take on the popular beach cocktail, these BBC popsicles are sweet and creamy, made from Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The whole thing is dipped in a chocolate shell and sprinkled with toasted coconut.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 360
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 10
Ingredients
For the popsicles:
- 2 large bananas (about 280 gm total once peeled)
- ½ cup (120 mL) Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor
- 1 cup (240 mL) cream of coconut
- ½ cup (120 mL) water
For the chocolate shell:
- ½ cup (90 gm) bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup toasted coconut, if desired
Instructions
- Combine all of the popsicle ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Divide the mixture among 10 popsicles molds (see notes), insert the popsicles sticks, and freeze until solid for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- Once frozen solid, remove the popsicles from the molds and place on a sheet of parchment paper in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate shell.
- Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each round until smooth. Once smooth, allow to cool about 5 minutes. Then, dip each popsicle in the chocolate shell and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Place back in the freezer to freeze solid or enjoy immediately.
Notes
- I use a popsicle mold that makes 10-2.5 ounces popsicles. Your yield will change if you make smaller or larger popsicles. The preparation and ingredients will remain the same.
- The alcohol in these popsicles will cause them to melt faster than some popsicles. Be sure to keep them frozen until you’re ready to enjoy them.
- If you are unable to find large bananas, use a few smaller ones. Total weight of the edible portion should be 280 gm.
- The chocolate shell is entirely optional. For a quick boozy treat, just skip the shell.
