EASY-PEASY POPSICLES

Photography by James River Media 

Enjoy the flavors of the season 

There are some things that evoke summer to the kid in all of us: Fourth of July fireworks, baseball, lightning bugs and Popsicles. Those cold tasty treats of summer were actually invented by a kid. Back in 1905, then 11-year-old Frank Epperson left his drink with its stirring stick out on the porch of his San Francisco home one night. He found it the next morning, frozen solid, the stick acting as a handle of sorts. 

Frank didn’t call it a Popsicle at first though. It wasn’t until 1923 that he realized no one else had come up with his frozen treat idea, so he patented “frozen ice on a stick,” which he called Epsicles. It was his children’s references to “pop’s sicles” (for their resemblance to icicles) that eventually evolved into Popsicles. Today, the Popsicle brand is owned by Unilever Corporation, but the name Popsicle is like Kleenex in that it has become the generic name for any frozen treat on a stick.

When they first debuted, Popsicles cost a nickel. The Great Depression saw the invention of the two-stick Popsicle, so that they could be shared with a friend. Over the years, other tasty treats like the Creamsicle and fudge pops were born, but neither have diminished the eternal popularity of the original. 

Cold and not suited well to travel, Popsicles are a relief during the heat of summer — an easy way to get essential liquids while also cooling yourself down. Sure, there’s ice cream and other delightful frozen treats, but one of the beautiful things about Popsicles is their simplicity. Take a liquid, any liquid like fruit juice or soda or even Kool-Aid, and pop it in the freezer with a handle. You can use a purchased silicone mold, but muffin tins, ice cube trays, even disposable cups will do in a pinch. No sticks? A toothpick, straw or small spoon can suffice. To loosen your Popsicle from the mold, hold it under warm water or rub it between the palms of your hands. Voilà. They’re that easy. 

Popsicle ingredients are not just limited to liquids. Puréed or mashed fruit, like strawberries or bananas, can make for good Popsicles. Pudding can be used for fudge pops. And then there are adult Popsicles, sometimes called “poptails” that have a little boozy kick to them. Here are a few ideas for making your own at home. 

Juices
Use any bottled fruit juice, as is. Or, juice your favorite fruits, such as watermelon or grapefruit and pineapple. If you wanted to get super healthy, you could also make Popsicles out of juiced vegetables like carrots. You can also play around with adding various spices like ginger and turmeric or a twist of lime! Combine a variety of juices for a more interesting juice pop. 

Fruits
Peel and pit fruit before puréeing. If your purée is too thick, thin with fruit juice (apple juice is excellent with most fruits) and freeze. Strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, peaches, pineapples, mangos all stand-alone nicely. Or combine various fruits – pineapple, mangos and papayas make for a fun tropical fruit blend. 

Bananas can be mashed or frozen solid individually. Once frozen, dip the bananas in melted chocolate, then pop them back in the freezer for a chocolate banana treat. 

Yogurt Pops
Any type of yogurt works here, although full-fat yogurt makes for a creamier Popsicle. Add a sweetener like a teaspoon of honey if using plain or Greek yogurt, stir in some puréed fruit before freezing. To achieve a swirled appearance, don’t fully mix your flavors before placing them into the mold. 

Fudge Pops
Make a box of instant pudding, pour it into your molds and freeze. OR, if you’d rather make it from scratch: 

• ½ cup cocoa powder 
• ½ cup sugar 
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups milk or non-dairy alternative (almond, soy, coconut) 
• ½ teaspoon vanilla 

Whisk together cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch and salt, breaking up any clumps. Slowly whisk in liquid, ½ cup at a time until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. (It should coat the back of the spoon.) Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Stir occasionally as the mixture cools over the next few minutes. It should begin to thicken as it cools. Pour into molds and freeze. 

Frozen Wine Pops
Making wine pops is as easy as pouring wine directly into molds, then popping into the freezer. Add some berries or other fruit if you like. Sweeter wines work better here than dry ones so a Riesling, Moscato or sweeter rosé are all perfect for making wine pops. 

Boozy Pops
Turn your favorite cocktail into a frozen one by simply pouring the contents into your molds. Bloody Marys, mojitos, margaritas, daiquiris, even a gin and tonic make for a great boozy pop. Play around with the addition of fruit, like a strawberry mojito or margarita. Add lime slices to your gin and tonic. Keep in mind that the addition of alcohol into your mix raises the freezing temperate, so keep the booze to other liquid ingredients to a 1:4 ratio. Cheers! ✦