Fine Cooking (August/September 2009) & Gourmet (July 2009)
Nothing makes us more nostalgic for long, lazy childhood summers than the idea of a Popsicle. Opening the freezer and seeing a Technicolor array of bright, sugary ice pops is one of life's great pleasures. Unwrapping a Popsicle and then eating it -- while your tongue slowly turns unnatural hues of blue, green or red -- is one of the most refreshing and most quintessentially summer things there is.
This summer, we've been making our own ice pops, but with one great twist that's decidedly un-childlike: booze!
Whether you're a bourbon girl, a Bloody Mary guy or more of a margarita person, if you're looking for one last summer hurrah this weekend, look no further than these boozy ice pops.
Making these Popsicles nearly spanned the summer for us. We have only a handful of molds, which meant we needed to make five separate batches of ice pops. Summer months flew by as new batches rolled through our freezer.
We've had an absolutely amazing summer. Unfortunately, we are sorry to report, these ice pops weren't so amazing.
Both Gourmet and Fine Cooking had features this summer about making alcohol-spiked popsicles. Each had flavors that we wanted to try, so we mixed and matched five -- using three from Gourmet and two from Fine Cooking. Here's how they turned out:
- Bittersweet Chocolate-Bourbon Ice Pops: The clear winner. These were the first ice pops we made and by far our favorite of the bunch. Rich and decadent, with just the perfect kick of bourbon to add a deeper flavor, these are a true summer treat.
- Lemon-Vodka Cream Pops: Overall, not bad. We're not big creamsicle fans, but we enjoyed these flavors together. The citron vodka was a smooth addition the cream.
- Watermelon Margarita Ice Pops: Although this shares the flavors of Tequila Soaked Watermelon, which we made earlier this summer and loved, we weren't fans of these pops. The tequila seemed to fight the watermelon rather than complement it, and we found ourselves wishes we had just made straight-up watermelon ice pops.
- Mint Caipirinha Ice Pops: Probably our least favorite of the batches, we just couldn't seem to get the texture right on this pop. Where the others froze nicely, this remained soft, icy and slushy, and the pieces of mint scattered throughout didn't help. The mint flavors were nice, but probably best left to a cocktail.
- Bloody Mary Ice Pops: These taste literally like a frozen Bloody Mary. If that sounds good to you, make these immediately. While we're huge Bloody Mary fans, we found the taste of a frozen Bloody a little unappetizing. The most savory of any of the pops we made, these just didn't end up being all that refreshing.
Our recommendation?
Make yourself a Bittersweet Chocolate-Bourbon ice pop this weekend. If there will be kids around, make half the batch without bourbon and while the pops are freezing, pour yourself a nip of bourbon, sit on the porch, and think about what a nice summer it's been.
Bittersweet Chocolate-Bourbon Ice Pops
Fine Cooking (August/September 2009)
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(This Photo: Fine Cooking)
Dark chocolate and bourbon make for a truly decadent frozen treat. Since the bourbon doesn't get cooked, it's worth splurging on the high-end stuff.Yields 8 pops.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72%), chopped
2 Tbs. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. table salt
2 Tbs. good-quality bourbon (like Knob Creek)
Put the sugar, chocolate, cocoa powder, salt, and 2 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Transfer to a 4-cup glass measure (or any container with a spout for easy pouring). Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Stir in the bourbon and divide the mixture among eight 3-oz. pop molds or wax-lined paper cups. Freeze until just set, about 3 hours. Insert craft sticks and freeze until completely set, about 4 hours more. When ready to serve, unmold or peel off the paper cups.
Make Ahead Tips: The pops can be frozen for up to 3 days.
Lemon-Vodka Cream Pops
Fine Cooking (August/September 2009)
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(This Photo: Fine Cooking)
A splash of citron vodka gives the classic creamsicle a decidedly adult kick.Yields 8 pops.
INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 medium lemons
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. table salt
2 Tbs. citron vodka
Using a vegetable peeler, remove all of the zest from 3 of the lemons in 3- to 4-inch-long strips. Set the lemons aside.
Combine the lemon zest, cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let steep at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Squeeze 2/3 cup juice from the reserved lemons (juice the fourth lemon, if necessary). Stirring constantly, pour the lemon juice into the cream mixture in a slow stream. Stir in the vodka.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a 4-cup glass measure (or any container with a spout for easy pouring), pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Divide the mixture among eight 3-oz. pop molds or wax-lined paper cups. Freeze until just barely set, 5 to 6 hours. Insert craft sticks and freeze until completely set, about 2 hours more. When ready to serve, unmold or peel off the paper cups.
Make Ahead Tips: The pops can be frozen for up to 3 days.
Watermelon Margarita Ice Pops
Gourmet (July 2009)
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(This photo: Gourmet)
Yield: Makes 8 ice pops
Active time: 15 min
Start to finish:1 day
Ingredients
• 5 cups chopped seedless watermelon (1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup silver tequila
• Equipment:
8 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds and 8 wooden sticks
Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on and then discarding solids. Skim off any foam, then pour into molds. Freeze 30 minutes. Insert sticks, then freeze until firm, about 24 hours.
Mint Caipirinha Ice Pops
Gourmet (July 2009)
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(This photo: Gourmet)
Yield: Makes 8 ice pops
Active time: 15 min
Total time: 1 day
Ingredients
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cachacha
• Equipment: 8 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds and 8 wooden sticks
Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Skim off any foam, then pour into molds. Freeze 30 minutes. Insert sticks, then freeze until firm, about 24 hours
Bloody Mary Ice Pops
Gourmet (July 2009)
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(This photo: Gourmet)
Yield: Makes 8 ice pops
Active time: 15 min
Total time: 1 day
Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups tomato juice (18 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon bottled horseradish
• 3 or 4 drops Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup vodka
• Equipment: 8 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds and 8 wooden sticks
Blend all ingredients with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on and then discarding solids. Pour into molds. Freeze 30 minutes. Insert sticks, then freeze until firm, about 24 hours.
