Summer Sweet Treats

As summer approaches and the school year comes to a close, it’s finally time to unwind and relax. The hot weather and sunny days can be delightful during this time of year, yet it leaves us longing for something cold to snack on or drink. However, a fresh popsicle or cold sweet treat always helps, so I decided to share three popsicle recipes that you can enjoy whenever you feel a bit overheated this summer! In commemoration of Pride Month this month, I also wanted to share some sweet treats that matched some of the colors representing the Lesbian flag: White, Orange, and Red (there are also shades of pink in the flag that I was unable to include in these popsicle variations, but I did my best to showcase the colors!). During this time of year, it’s important to showcase our pride for the LGBTQ+ community, no matter if you are a part of the community or an ally, which is why I wanted to represent the Lesbian Flag through these popsicle colors.

Main “Tools” Needed:

- Blender - Popsicle molds OR Ice cube molds

- Toothpicks/Skewers (if using ice cube molds)

Orange “Dreamsicle”:

This orange popsicle is a play on a childhood favorite popsicle: the Creamsicle. It’s made up of orange soda, heavy cream, freshly squeezed oranges, and orange pulp, creating the combination I like to call the “Dreamsicle.” This recipe is low maintenance, as it only took me about 10-15 minutes to prepare, and most of the work for each popsicle recipe lies more within waiting for them to freeze than the preparation itself. It can be tempting to remove the popsicle from its mold prematurely, but it’s best to wait the full 10-12 hours needed for each to freeze so you can receive the best reward from these frozen sweet treats. The popsicle is deliciously tangy yet smooth, with the heavy cream perfectly offsetting the sourness from the orange. Also, the natural sugars from the orange paired perfectly with the orange soda and heavy cream, creating an authentic nostalgic flavor similar to the Creamsicle popsicle flavor. If Creamsicles were your childhood favorite popsicle or snack, you should give the “Dreamsicle” a shot. The recipe is low maintenance, yet it’s delicious and cooling at the same time!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups orange soda (1 bottle) - 2 oranges (squeezed)

- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream - ½ cup vanilla yogurt

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

- Grab a medium bowl or blender; if using a bowl, make sure to have a whisk

- Add the orange soda, heavy cream, and vanilla extract first (all completely liquid ingredients)

- Squeeze the oranges with a lemon/orange squeezer or your hand into the bowl/blender

- Add the vanilla yogurt and heavy cream, then whisk/blend (on low) the mixture together

-Make sure not to overmix as the heavy cream may turn into whipped cream if overmixed

- Once combined, pour the mixture into popsicle molds or ice cube molds (add one skewer or toothpick into each ice cube box, it will act as a handle to remove the popsicle and hold it)

- Put in the freezer and wait for popsicles to freeze overnight or for 10-12 hours

- Once completely solidified, carefully pull or remove popsicles from molds/ice cube trays, and enjoy!

Coconut Cream Popsicle:

Coconut is a vibrant flavor, as it can be both smooth yet also watery. I tried to combine the two components in this popsicle to concoct a beautifully soft yet sweet popsicle, as I used coconut cream and milk. While coconut cream and milk can be watery at times, in this recipe, the two married well when combined with heavy cream and formed a deliciously velvety flavor that allowed the richness of the coconut to shine. This popsicle was also very sweet along with its rich flavor, as I also added sugar and vanilla extract to amplify the natural sweetness from the coconut. The recipe is relatively easy to make, like the Dreamsicle, since all you need is a bowl and whisk, time, and patience! Each popsicle recipe, including this one, is low maintenance, and the only catch would be the time you must wait for these cooling sweet treats. But, with enough effort and patience, you’re sure to obtain a fantastic result!

Ingredients:

- 1 can coconut cream - 1 can coconut milk

- 1 tsp vanilla extract - ¾ cup coconut flakes

- 1 ¾ cup heavy cream - 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

- Grab a medium bowl, be sure to have a whisk

- Add the coconut cream, milk, and heavy cream to the bowl; whisk until thoroughly combined

-Make sure not to over whisk as the heavy cream may turn into whipped cream if overmixed

- Once combined thoroughly, add the vanilla extract and salt, then whisk again until fully combined

- Add the coconut flakes and gently combine with the whisk or a spatula

- After completely combined, pour the mixture into popsicle molds or ice cube molds (add one skewer or toothpick into each ice cube box, it will act as a handle to remove the popsicle and hold it)

- Put in the freezer and wait for popsicles to freeze overnight or for 10-12 hours

- Once completely solidified, carefully pull or remove popsicles from molds/ice cube trays, and enjoy!

Strawberry-Raspberry Popsicle:

Another fantastic flavor combination with popsicles is raspberries and strawberries, which leave a delightful yet tangy taste lingering after eating one of these popsicles. I wanted a sweet yet more sour flavor for this popsicle, which I thought combining strawberries and raspberries would achieve perfectly. Even if combining too much of these two fruits could result in a very watery mixture, this is deceiving since the mixture freezes over perfectly, creating an easily chewable and delectable popsicle. Even if this popsicle takes as much time as each other recipe to make, it is slightly easier since you don’t have to be as careful with combining the ingredients as with the other two recipes since it only requires blending until you reach a watery consistency. Also, the recipe is very versatile since you could technically add any berries you wanted to and even substitute the strawberries for more raspberries or vice versa!

Ingredients:

- 4-5 strawberries, with tops cut off - ½ cup raspberries

- ¼ cup granulated sugar - ¼ cup water

- 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice

Directions:

- Grab a blender (preferable option)/food processor or medium bowl, be sure to have a mashing device if using the bowl

Blender Version:

- Making sure to cut the tops off the strawberries, add the strawberries and raspberries to the blender

- After adding fruits, add the sugar, water, and lemon/lime juice

- Blend on medium speed until fully combined/watery consistency

Bowl Version:

- Making sure to cut the tops off the strawberries, add the strawberries and raspberries to the bowl

- Use the masher to mash together the strawberries and raspberries until fully mashed

- Add the rest of the ingredients (lemon/lime juice, sugar, and water) with a whisk and mix until thoroughly combined to a watery mixture

- After completely combined, pour the mixture into popsicle molds or ice cube molds (add one skewer or toothpick into each ice cube box, it will act as a handle to remove the popsicle and hold it)

- Put in the freezer and wait for popsicles to freeze overnight or for 10-12 hours

- Once completely solidified, carefully pull or remove popsicles from molds/ice cube trays, and enjoy!