By Emily-Nicole Johns, reporting from Brooklyn, NY, on how adulthood improves on the recipe for her favorite summer treat
Growing up in the south, popsicles were a serious summer staple. The sound of the ice cream truck would have my neighborhood crew running from all corners to get our hands on crazy delicious, sticky treats.
Now as an adult, when the summer temperature really starts cranking up and my New York apartment is boiling, all I can think about making is my favorite bit of nostalgia on a stick. Popsicles are super simple to concoct, and you don’t even have to think about turning on the oven. Plus, you can make them as healthy and full of fresh fruit and low-calorie as you like (if you’re into that sort of thing).
Frozen treat technology has advanced since the 80s, with products like the Zoku Quick Pop Maker. But I still like to keep it simple with a classic popsicle mold, like this one I got at Whisk.
So as the summer months start coming to an end, try out one of these popsicle recipes. It's important. Grab the sunscreen, bring out your inner child and get going!
Orange Creamsicles
Ingredients:
8 oz. orange juice
2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Blend together the orange juice, ice cream and zest until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds, but leave the top 1/4 empty. Using a whisk, whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. You want it just firm enough that it won't too quickly seep into the other liquid. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the creamsicles, add popsicle sticks and freeze overnight.
Minty Watermelon Fizz Pops
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pureed watermelon (3 cups watermelon, diced)
1 tablespoon of fresh mint, thinly sliced
2 cups coconut water
1 cup sparkling white grape juice
Pour the sparkling grape juice into a measuring cup and allow to settle for at least 5 minutes (to reduce the bubbles). In a blender, puree sliced watermelon pieces. Stir together the watermelon and the coconut water. Add the sliced mint and sparkling grape juice, and stir into the watermelon mixture. Fill each popsicle mold, leaving about 1/4 inch of space from the top (the liquid will expand slightly as it freezes).