Sangria Popsicles

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Who says kids get dibs on all the good treats' As adults, we love popsicles just as much as we did when we were younger. The only difference is that now our tastes have evolved beyond strawberry and grape!

Cocktails are great inspiration for grown up popsicles. The same combinations of fruit juices, syrups and liquors in our favorite drinks translate remarkably well into frozen form. (Just watch the amount of alcohol or the pops have trouble freezing.)

Greet dinner guests at the door with a sangria pop and then wind the party down with a Baileys pudding pop for dessert. Popsicles add a unique and whimsical note to the evening.

Non-alcoholic drinks work well, too. Any coffee beverage that you love over ice can be frozen into a mid-day treat. Something made with tangy yogurt and fruit, like a mango lassi pop, also makes a refreshing snack or breakfast on the go.

Let the kids keep their sweet fruit popsicles. The grown ups know where the fun is really begins!

SANGRIA POPS

Makes six 3-ounce pops

Note: These pops are more fragile and do best in narrow, cylindrical molds

3/4 cup fruity red wine, such as malbec or merlot

1/2 cup apple, diced small

1/2 orange, peeled and diced small

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons sugar

Combine the red wine, apples and oranges in a small bowl and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, heat just enough to dissolve the sugar. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave in 30 second bursts on a high setting.) Allow to cool to room temperature.

Set a strainer over a 2-cup measuring cup or medium-sized bowl and strain the fruit from the wine. Divide the strained fruit evenly between all popsicle molds. Add the cooled orange juice mixture to the wine.

Pour the sangria mix over the fruit in each mold, leaving a quarter-inch of space at the top and using a chopstick to dislodge any air bubbles. Freeze for an hour, insert popsicle sticks, and then freeze until completely firm (at least 8 hours). Run popsicle molds under warm water to dislodge pops before serving.

BAILEYS PUDDING POPS

Makes six 3-ounce pops

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur

Whisk together 1/4 cup of the whole milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining milk, heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, heat the milk until the surface is steaming and the sugar is dissolved.

Off the heat, whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and stir gently until the milk has slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in the salt, and cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the Baileys. Fill all popsicle molds to a quarter-inch below the top. Freeze for an hour, insert popsicle sticks, and then freeze until completely firm (at least 8 hours). Run popsicle molds under warm water to dislodge pops before serving.

MANGO LASSI POPS (Non-alcoholic)

Makes six 3-ounce pops

2 cups ripe mango chunks, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup whole milk plain yogurt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon honey

Pinch of salt

In a blender or food processor, blend the mango until it becomes a very fine paste. Add the yogurt, buttermilk, honey, and pinch of salt. Blend until the mixture is pale orange and very smooth.

Divide between popsicle molds, leaving a quarter-inch of space at the top and using a chopstick to dislodge any bubbles. Freeze for an hour, insert popsicle sticks, and then freeze until completely firm (at least 8 hours). Run popsicle molds under warm water to dislodge pops before serving.

 

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(c) 2010 Emma Christensen Recipes