berry popsicles

popsicle season is upon us! the first batch of the year is always a stunning reminder that they're the easiest dessert to make. there's no excuse not to have a refreshing popsicle daily. it seriously hits the spot.

i have a fondness for ginger ale in popsicles, but it's not necessary. i was trying to get a tie-dye effect, but in the end it didn't make much difference in the look. eliminating it will lower the sugar content and give you a thicker, opaque pop- none of which are a bad thing.

to get a marbled look, pour in a little of each liquid at a time, aiming for the sides. alternate pouring the red, then the blue on one side, then the ginger ale on the other side. it should give you some groovy swirls.

when using a soda in your pops, it will foam up after pouring. scrape as much of this out of the molds as possible before putting the lid on. in the photo above, the mold is actually filled a bit too high- liquids expand when they freeze, and this batch popped the lid right off. best to leave a little room.

berry popsicles:

• 10oz bag frozen strawberries, thawed
• 10oz bag frozen blueberries, thawed
• juice of half a lemon
• honey, to taste
• 1 bottle ginger ale (optional)

preparation:

• blend thawed strawberries with a squeeze of lemon juice and 2 Tbl of honey. taste the mixture. does it need more honey? keep in mind, that when it's frozen it will be less sweet. when it's at it's tastiest, put it in a pourable container.
• repeat the same with the thawed blueberries. pour them in a separate container.
• to swirl up the pops, alternate pouring each mixture into the mold, a bit at a time.
• scrape off any foam on the top, add the lid and insert the sticks. freeze until frozen.

makes 10-12 popsicles