Homemade Popsicles to Beat the Summer Heat

With the heat index at 110ºF its no wonder why people are staying inside this summer.. AND ITS STILL HOT! So what can you do? Make some popsicles. I'm sure everyone out there has had at least one popsicle in their life. So why not try making your own? Here are some recipes to help you make it though this horrid heat and help you spend some more time with people you care about. (or a date, its quite fun and delicious!)

Strawberry Mango Banana Popsicles: (Makes about 6 - 8 depending on the mold you use)

½ Cup Strawberries (if you use frozen thaw them out!)
1 Banana (Peeled of course)
½ Cup Mango (Again, if you use frozen, then thaw them out)
6 Tbsp Sugar (I know it sounds like a lot but trust me)
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Pinch Salt
¼ cup water
⅓ cup Heavy Cream (optional)

Place all the ingredients together and BLEND IT INTO A YUMMY LIQUID. Fill your mold up and chill for about a 2-4 hours. (If you decide to use the heavy cream you can always mix one fruit with water and another with heavy cream and then swirl them together! It looks really pretty too just divide the sugar and honey evenly)

Blueberry Pomegranate Popsicles: (Makes 6-8 Depending on your choice of molds)
¾ Cup Blue Berries
1 Cup Pomegranate Juice (not sweetened!)
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Honey

Again place, mix, chill, serve! If you want to use cream in this one, you will have to put the blue berries into the heavy cream and mix them together with ½ the sugar and honey. Then mix it with the pomegranate mix and freeze.

Lemon Lime Crush: (Makes 6-8 Depending on your mold)
½ C Lemon Juice(FRESHLY SQUEEZED NOT BOTTLED!)
½ C Lime Juice (FRESHLY SQUEEZED NOT BOTTLED!)
½ C Water
1 Lime or Lemon cut thinly into semi-circles
6 Tbsp Sugar

Blend the ingredients together leaving out the cut fruit, and freeze with a piece of fruit on the side for decoration. DO NOT USE CREAM IN THIS! IT WILL SEPARATE AND GO SOUR ON YOU!

Now for those of you who want a more adult popsicles try these recipes out...

Chocolate Babbling Popsicle: Makes 7-8

1 C Cream
6 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream or Kalua

Mix the cream, cocoa powder and sugar together and set aside. then add in the Irish cream or kalua and put them into the molds first so that it creates a small layer and then add in the chocolate mixture.

Lavender Honey Popsicles: Makes 7-8

Just a forewarning, this one takes a bit more work because this is more of an ice cream base than just a popsicle base.

2 C Cream
½ C Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
¼ Tbsp Lavender
4 Tbsp Honey

Heat the cream and honey together until simmering, DO NOT BOIL! Mean while, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar to make it lighter. Then slowly temper the egg yolks with the now hot cream and make sure you do not curdle the egg yolks! Allow it to cool and you can either put this into a mold or put it in an ice cream machine.

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Side note: The wedding went of without too big a hitch. And this week has been hectic! Haha well, thats life for you. And a reminder that my art exhibition is still up at the Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center in Virginia, so stop on by and take a look if you have a chance.