Sophisticated Ice Pops to Help Beat the Heat

BY EILEEN GOLTZ
Special to The Standard

There is nothing quite like a Popsicle™  to help beat the heat. We’ve all, at one time or another, filled up paper cups with juice or a pureed fruit and juice mixture, plunked a popsicle stick in it and stuck it in the freezer for 4 or 5 hours and voila, the popsicle (yes a popsicle mold works just as well but they’re not nearly as much fun as trying to get the popsicle stick to stay right in the middle of the cup and not lean drunkenly to one side).

Since it’s such a kid friendly treat it’s only fitting that a nice Jewish 11year-old boy named Frank invented the ice pop. OK, he did it by accident in 1903, but did nothing about his “eureka” moment until about 20 years later when he applied for a patent for frozen ice on a stick. He originally named it the Eppsicle (his last name was Epperson) but by then he was already a father and his kids liked referring to it as a “popsicle,” which had a better ring to it so he changed the name, and history as they say, was made.

While buying an ice pop or a Popsicle™ is now the way most enjoy the cold delicious treat, I’m going to suggest that as a fun summer project, moms and dads and kids of all ages challenge themselves to create wonderful and delicious homemade (no artificial colors, flavors or weird ingredients) ice pops for anytime when work, the kids, or the sun and the fun with the kids have worn you down and you need to recharge your energy batteries. I’m including some “adult” recipes as well as the kid friendly ones

Watermelon Ice Pops

for those of you who’d like a cool refreshing treat that’s yours and yours alone. Just remember if you’re eating those treats that contain alcohol, eat and or slurp responsibly.

NOTE:  some of the recipes require simple syrup. Easy to make:

Simple Syrup

1/2 cup water

1/2 white sugar

Combine the water and sugar in a sauce pan and cook over a medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Let cool. This recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on how much you need. It will stay in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

WATERMELON AND RUM ICE POPS (Adult treat) (pareve)

2 oz light rum (Bacardi ® make watermelon rum that is great in this recipe)   

 3 cups seedless watermelon puree     

1 oz. Simple Syrup*                    

In the blender or food processor combine the simple syrup and watermelon puree. Pulse or combine just until mixed.  Add the run. Pulse or puree just until combine.   Pour mixture into Popsicle molds.  Add Popsicle sticks and freeze for 8 hours. Makes 6

TRIPLE BERRY ICE POPS (pareve)

You can strain out the seed if you prefer a smoother pop

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup sugar 

1 cup blueberries

1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 cup raspberries

1/4 cup orange juice

In a sauce pan combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil; stir for about 1 minute and then remove from the heat. Let cool. In a blender or food processor combine the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries with the orange juice. Process until smooth. Add 1/3 cup simple syrup and blend just until combined. Transfer purée to popsicle molds and freeze 4 hours. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze an additional 4 to 6 hours, or until frozen solid. Makes 10 popsicles.

Triple Berry Ice Pops

BANANA SPLIT ICE POPS (dairy)

1 banana

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon honey

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup chocolate chips or 1/4 cup chocolate syrup

1 teaspoon honey

4 strawberries or raspberries, fresh or frozen

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Popsicle molds or plastic cups

In a blender or food processor combine the banana, honey, and milk. Process until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds or 8 oz plastic cups until the mold or cup is1/3 full. Place in the freezer and let set up for at least 1 hour. Then, in the blender or food processor combine the vanilla yogurt, milk, chocolate chips or syrup and honey. Gently spoon the chocolate mixture on top of the banana mixture until the cup or mold is 2/3 full. If you are using a cup this is when you put the stick in, pushing it through the frozen banana layer so it stays in place. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. If you are using fresh berries use 1/4 cup milk. If you are using frozen berries use 1/2 cup milk. Process and then gently spoon into the cups or molds (put on the top of the mold). Freeze for at least 3 to 4 more hours freeze for several hours. Makes 6

Submitted by Jerome Weiner age 10 Skokie IL edited by his mom Sheryl

CITRUS BERRY POPS (pareve)

The trick to the best flavor is to use FRESH fruit not frozen in this pop.

1 cup puréed fresh raspberries (keep it a little chunky)

1 cup puréed fresh apricots or peaches (keep it a little chunky)

1 cup puréed fresh mango (with bits of fruit)

About 1/2 cup sugar

Fresh lemon or lime juice

Zest of 1 fresh lemon or lime

Stir fruit purées in separate bowls and add sugar to taste (about 2 each) and lemon or lime juice to taste. Pour the berry mixture about 1/3 up into 8 bar molds, add the sticks, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Refrigerate the remaining fruit mixtures. After 1 hour spoon the mango puree into the molds about 2/3’s of the way full and then return them to the freezer for 1 hour. At this point spoon the apricot or peach layer into the mold or cup, cover and freeze for at least 2 more hours or until the top layer is frozen. Makes 8

PEACHY MANGO FRUIT POPS (pareve)

1 cup puréed mango
1 cup puréed ripe peaches
1/4 cup simple syrup
juice of one lime or lemon juice( or to taste) (fresh is best)
6 to 8 popsicle sticks

Combine fruit purées in a medium bowl and set them aside. Add the simple syrup to the fruit and mix to combine. Add lemon or lime juice to taste. Add to purées with lime or lemon juice to taste. If you have popsicle molds, fill them, leaving some room at the top to allow for expansion, set the lids in place and insert the sticks through the holes. If you don’t have popsicle molds, fill small cups or empty yogurt tubs about 3/4 full, stretch plastic or foil across the top and make a small slit to insert sticks. Freeze until firmly set, 3 to 4 hours.

You can add a 1/2 cup sweet white wine to this recipe if you want it to be an adult treat

CREAMY BOURBON AND PEACH-POPS (adult) (dairy)

Peachy-Mango Star Pops

1 cup fresh peaches, pureed (if you use canned peaches don’t add the simple syrup)

1/4 cup bourbon

1/2 cup simple syrup, cooled

2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt

In a bowl combine the pureed peaches and the bourbon.  Add the simple syrup and yogurt to the peach mixture and mix to combine. Spoon the mixture into molds or cups and either put on the top or put in the stick and freeze for at least 4 hours.