Coconut Ice Pops

Excerpted from 150 Best Ice Pop Recipes by Andrew Chase

(Robert Rose, Inc., 2013, $24.95)

Coconut milk—the juice extracted from grated mature coconut flesh mixed with water—has a natural affinity with palm sugar, which is made from the sweet sap of various palm trees. These two ingredients are all you need to make a perfect tropical ice pop.

Tips

Palm sugar is used extensively in Asian cooking and is generally available at Asian markets. It is usually sold in solid tablets or cakes measuring about 1⁄4 cup each; chop or grate the cakes into loose sugar before measuring. “Coconut sugar,” which is palm sugar made from coconut sap, is sold in granulated form at bulk and natural foods stores. You can substitute an equal quantity of light brown (golden yellow) sugar or raw cane sugar for the palm sugar.

• 1⁄2 cup palm sugar (see Tips)
• 3 tbsp. water
• 2 cups coconut milk (see Tips)

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar in water, stirring until smooth. Stir in coconut milk; increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

2. Pour into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes about 6 to 8 ice pops.

Pomegranate Berry Ice Pops

Excerpted from 150 Best Ice Pop Recipes by Andrew Chase

(Robert Rose, Inc., 2013, $24.95)

Pomegranate juice makes a wonderful base for strong-flavored berries such as wild blueberries or raspberries. The result is an intensely fruity, pleasantly tart and undoubtedly healthy ice pop. You can use frozen berries year-round for convenience.

Tip

Because every brand of blender has a different power capacity, speeds vary greatly. Generally, to purée a mixture, start at slow to medium speed and move up to medium-high speed on a powerful blender, or high speed on a less powerful model. If the engine is very strong, too much air may be incorporated into the mixture at high speed.

Blender

• Fine-mesh sieve
• 2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice, divided
• 3 tbsp. agave or corn syrup, or 1⁄4 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 cups wild blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, thawed if frozen

1. In a glass measuring cup, mix 1⁄4 cup pomegranate juice with syrup. Heat in a microwave oven until mixture is thin, about 10 to 20 seconds on High. (You can also do this on the stovetop, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heating for about 1 minute.) Add to blender with remaining juice and berries; purée at medium speed (see Tip, left).

2. Strain through sieve placed over a large measuring cup, pressing down and scraping solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much pulp and juice as possible. Discard solids.

3.Pour into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes about 9 to 12 ice pops.

Avocado Ice Pops

Excerpted from 150 Best Ice Pop Recipes by Andrew Chase

(Robert Rose, Inc., 2013, $24.95)

In Mexico and other parts of Central America, avocados are sometimes used in sweets. This use certainly won’t seem strange to Filipino, Vietnamese and Indonesian people, who primarily enjoy the fruit over shaved ice with sweetened condensed milk or in milkshakes. Native to Central America, avocados are one of many examples — including hot peppers, soursops, potatoes, jicama, squash and many legumes — of how Mexican culinary culture spread to Asia through the important Acapulco–Manila clipper-ship trade route from the mid-16th to early 19th centuries.

Blender

• 1 cup chopped ripe avocado
• 1⁄3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• Pinch of salt
• 2⁄3 cup water
• 3 tbsp. extra-fine (fruit) sugar or granulated sugar

1. Place avocado, condensed milk, lime juice and a scant pinch of salt in blender. Stir together water and sugar until sugar is dissolved; add to blender. Purée at medium-high speed.

2. Pour into molds, tapping them on work surface to remove any air pockets. Insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.