Frozen pops and cocktails. Two of our favorite ways to beat the heat during these dog days of summer. If those are refreshment ideas you can get behind, meet the poptail. Or booze-infused ice pop.
From margaritas and daiquiris to rum and Coke, virtually any cocktail can be turned into a frozen treat on a stick with a little tinkering.
These are not pops you need to worry about getting drunk on -- even if you eat the whole batch in one sitting.
There isn't much alcohol in them -- an entire batch has only slightly more than one cocktail might have.
Molds can be as low-tech as paper cups and craft sticks (our preferred method) or as high-tech as Pampered Chef's Quicksicle Maker (see Gadgets & Gizmos on this page for details).
Whichever method you use, keep in mind alcohol freezes at a much lower temperature than water and if your pops are too boozy, they will not freeze properly -- or at all.
Mixtures of up to 20 percent alcohol will work in most home freezers, but we found mixtures with 5 percent to 10 percent alcohol by volume work best. To calculate the alcohol by volume of your mixture, multiply the volume of spirits by the percentage of alcohol, converting the percentage to a decimal (for instance, 40 percent converts to .4; 20 percent converts to .2). Then divide by the total volume of the drink, then multiply by 100.
For example, our Rum and Coke pops have 8 percent alcohol by volume.
(3 ounces rum x .4 alcohol ÷ 15 total ounces) x 100 = 8 percent total alcohol
For a mixture that contains more than one spirit, multiply the ounces of each spirit by its alcohol percentage and add those together before dividing by the total volume of the drink.
Our White Russian pops include coffee liqueur that is 20 percent alcohol by volume and vodka that is 40 percent alcohol by volume. Each pop has about 4.5 percent alcohol.
(3 ounces coffee liqueur x .2 + 1 ounce vodka x .4 ÷ 22 total ounces) x 100 = 4.5 percent total alcohol
Of course any of the following pops can be made without the booze, but what fun would that be?
Sugar also affects freezing. The more sugar used, the longer it will take for the pops to freeze, but pops made with sugar will have a smoother, creamier texture.
As Harold McGee explains it in Keys to Good Cooking, "freezing is the process of chilling a liquid mix cold enough to turn most of its water into a solid mass of ice crystals, with the rest of the mix forming a syrup that coats and lubricates the crystals." Or in other words, the sugar molecules slip in between the frozen water molecules and prohibit the mixture from forming a rock-hard solid mass. The higher the sugar content the smaller the ice crystals, resulting in a finer texture. However, sweeter doesn't necessarily mean better. Using too much sugar will prevent the pops from freezing firmly and result in pops that slide off their sticks.
TIPS
• Be sure your freezer is set to 0 degrees or lower.
• If using a countertop pop maker, be sure to chill the mixture first. For freezer pops, this step isn't necessary.
• Fill molds to no more than 1/4 inch of the rim to leave room for the frozen mixture to expand. Some molds have a fill line or notch to let you know how full to fill them.
• To quickly unmold pops, dip the mold into a bowl of warm -- not hot -- water for a few seconds. Paper molds can be peeled off.
• Store pops between layers of parchment or freezer paper in an airtight container or freezer bag.
• To make layered or swirled pops, partly fill molds and freeze mixture for 20 to 30 minutes before adding another flavor. Repeat with as many layers as you wish. For a swirled look, simply give the mixture a stir after layering.
Most of the following recipes call for simple syrup.
The easiest way to sweeten beverages -- alcoholic or not -- is with simple syrups. The most basic is made from equal parts white sugar and water. But simple syrup can be made with brown sugar or honey as well. The mixture will keep for months, stored in the refrigerator.
Simple Syrup
2 1/4 cups water
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Will keep, refrigerated, for 3 months.
Makes about 3 cups.
Mango Margarita
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce orange liqueur
2 ounces simple syrup
Coarse salt, optional
Combine mangoes, lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur and simple syrup in a blender and process until smooth. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt into each mold, if desired. Pour mango mixture into molds. Freeze 45 minutes to 1 hour, insert sticks and return pops to freezer. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes about 6 (3-ounce) poptails.
Bananas give these pops a luscious, creamy texture. They are best enjoyed within a few days of freezing.
Banana Daiquiri
3 ounces rum
3 ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 handfuls ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into molds. Freeze 45 minutes, insert sticks, and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes about 8 (3-ounce) poptails.
Peaches and bourbon make a delicious combination. Our original plan was to create a poptail version of a peach bourbon smash, but when we spied a bottle of Rock Town Distillery's Bourbon Cream we couldn't resist swapping it for the straight bourbon and mint. And the results were divine.
Peaches and Bourbon Cream
2 large peaches, peeled and sliced (can substitute 12 ounces to 1 pound frozen sliced peaches)
Splash lemon juice
2 ounces agave syrup OR simple syrup OR honey
4 ounces bourbon cream liqueur OR other cream liqueur such as Bailey's
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into molds. Freeze 45 minutes to 1 hour, insert sticks, and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes 6 to 8 (3-ounce) poptails.
White Russian
1 cup very strong brewed coffee
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
3 ounces coffee liqueur (We like Rock Town Distillery's Rock Town Coffee Liqueur)
1/4 cup simple syrup
1 ounce vodka
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until well chilled. Pour into molds. Freeze 45 minutes, then insert sticks and return to freezer until solid, at least 6 hours.
Variation: Turn these into Chocolate White Russians by adding a couple of tablespoons chocolate syrup.
Makes 6 to 8 (3-ounce) poptails.
Gin's aromatic and herbal qualities are a great partner for watermelon. These are a bit boozier than the other recipes.
Watermelon Gin Punch
2 cups watermelon juice (from about 1 3/4 pounds fresh melon) OR watermelon juice blend such as Tropicana
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
Up to 6 ounces gin
Fresh mint leaves, optional
Combine the watermelon juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and gin; mix well. Pour into molds. Add a mint leaf to each mold. Freeze 45 minutes, then insert sticks and return to freezer until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes about 8 (3-ounce) poptails.
Use any red aperitivo you like in this poptail. The intensity and pleasantly bitter flavor of these pops will vary with the aperitivo you use. We suggest using Campari for the strongest bite, Aperol for the mildest or Cappelletti for somewhere in between.
Aperitivo Citrus
1 1/2 cups orange or grapefruit juice
Juice of 1 lemon
3 ounces Italian red aperitivo such as Campari OR Aperol OR Cappelletti
Up to 1/2 cup simple syrup
Combine the citrus juices and aperitivo and add 1/4 cup of the simple syrup. Adjust to taste, adding as much of the remaining simple syrup as necessary to create a pleasantly bitter-sweet-tangy pop. Because cold dulls flavors, you want the mixture a bit sweeter than you would for sipping.
Pour into molds and freeze 45 minutes to 1 hour, insert sticks and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes about 7 (3-ounce) poptails.
Carbonated beverages typically don't make great ice pops as the high water content creates large ice shards, but we couldn't resist creating this rum and Coke pop. The resulting pops are icy, yet refreshing.
Rum and Coke
12 ounces Coca-Cola, chilled
3 ounces rum, chilled
Combine cola and rum. Pour into molds. Freeze 45 minutes to 1 hour, insert sticks and return pops to freezer until solid, at least 6 hours.
Makes 5 (3-ounce) poptails.
These pops are a frozen version of a popular Hawaiian cocktail that features a swirl of strawberry puree (the lava) in a pineapple-coconut-banana base.
Lava Flow
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons simple syrup OR agave syrup, or to taste
3 ounces rum, divided use
1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez or Coco Real
In a blender, combine the strawberries, ice, simple syrup and 1 1/2 ounces of the rum. Process until smooth. Divide mixture between molds, filling each mold about 1/2 full. Place molds in freezer for 20 minutes.
Rinse blender canister.
In the (rinsed) blender, combine the remaining rum, the banana chunks, the pineapple juice and cream of coconut. Process until smooth. Divide the mixture among the partly frozen molds and swirl lightly using a skewer or the tip of a knife. Return mold to freezer for 30 minutes. Insert sticks and freeze until solid.
Makes about 8 (3-ounce) poptails.
Food on 07/25/2018