Top Chefs Share! Grown Up Popsicles

Popsicles are blowing the roof off of the summertime food trend charts. This time they’re not just the old school standard fruit and water blends. The new summer refreshers are savory ice pops, adult versions laced with alcohols and liqueurs, and unusual combination’s using herbs, fresh fruits and vegetables.  They’re making appearances everywhere: In high end restaurants, as martini garnishes, and hopefully soon in your kitchen!

Here’s why we love them:   Besides being a great way to beat the heat, they have a charming retro nostalgic vibe, they’re slightly sensual, and are amazingly easy to prepare.  Today, our contributing chefs share their versions for you to try.   Feel free to use a fancy popsicle making kit, or keep it real using wooden sticks and small dixie cups.  Make them and indulge!  We guarantee they will be a smash hit at your next outdoor party.

Avocado Popsicles
Canadian Celebrity Chef Christine Cushing

(Makes 8 popsicles)

* 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream (125 ml)
* 2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeds removed
* Zest and juice of 2 limes
* 2 tablespoons tequila (30 ml), optional
* 2 egg whites
* Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree the avocado, lime juice and zest until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, tequila and egg whites and pulse to combine. Add crème fraiche and pulse until smooth.
2. Pour into a popsicle mold. Smooth tops with a palette knive and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours, or overnight.
3. To release popsicles, dip into warm water and gently pull the popsicle stick until the popsicle comes out.

Pineapple, Ginger and Cilantro Ice Pops
Chef Ian Chalermkittichai from Kittichai restaurant in Manhattan

(Makes 6-8 ice pops)

* 1 large bunch cilantro, including stems and roots, rinsed
* 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled
* 2 cups fresh pineapple juice.

1. Cut the cilantro stems from the cilantro leaves. Finely chop the stems and roots in a food processor. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl. Press on the solids to extract the juices. Discard the solids. Measure 1 tablespoon cilantro juice and place in a large measuring cup.

2. Using a Microplane or fine grater, grate the ginger into the sieve set over the bowl. Press on the solids to extract the juices. Measure out 1 teaspoon ginger juice and stir it, along with the pineapple juice, into the cilantro juice. Pour into ice-pop molds and freeze.

Pineapple Thai Chile Cinnamon Popsicles
Chef Catherine Miller from Takashi restaurant in Chicago

(Makes 7 popsicles)

Ingredients:

* 2 cinnamon sticks, toasted
* 1 pineapple
* 4 Thai chiles
* 1/2 cup of water
* 1/2 cup of sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place two cinnamon sticks on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for about five minutes, until fragrant. Finely chop four Thai chiles, and combine in a small saucepot with a half cup of water, half cup of sugar and toasted cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat, cover, and let sit overnight for the flavors to infuse.

2. Chop one pineapple, discarding core. Puree cut pineapple with a half cup of the cinnamon-chile syrup (discard the cinnamon sticks) in a blender. Blend on high until smooth.

3. Strain the pineapple liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour into popsicle molds or three-ounce Dixie cups. Cover thoroughly with plastic wrap, insert sticks (poke through the plastic wrap) and freeze overnight.

For hotter popsicles, add additional Thai chiles; for milder popsicles, strain the simple syrup.

Depending on how sweet the pineapple is, you may want to increase or decrease the amount of simple syrup.

Margarita Popsicles
Chef Emeril Lagasse

(Makes 4 popsicles)

* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoons tequila
* 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
* Kosher salt, for garnish
* Special Equipment: 4 small cups (recommended: Dixie), 4 popsicle sticks

Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth. Pour into the cups and cover the top of each cup with foil. Place the popsicle stick in center of cup (down through foil, which will hold it in place). Freeze until hard, preferably overnight. Remove from freezer and run cup under warm water to loosen popsicle. Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Spiked Watermelon Popsicles
Chef Giada De Laurentiis

(Makes 16 popsicles)

Ingredients

* 1/2 (3 pounds) large watermelon, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup watermelon flavored 70 proof vodka (recommended: Smirnoff Twist of Watermelon)
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
* Special equipment: 16 (1/4 cup) ice pop molds, 16 wooden pop sticks or wooden coffee stirrers at least 2-inches longer than the molds.

Directions

In a blender, combine the watermelon, sugar, and vodka. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the mint and pulse once to combine. Pour the mixture into the pop molds. Insert the wooden sticks all the way down the inside the molds. Freeze for at least 10 hours or preferably overnight.

To unfreeze the ice pops, insert the molds in hot water for 5 to 10 seconds. Serve immediately.
For nonalcoholic Watermelon Pops, substitute 3/4 cup orange juice for the vodka.

Wasabi Popsicles
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Morimoto Restaurant
(Makes 8 popsicles)

* 3 cups water
* 3/4 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons fresh wasabi, grated (if using wasabi powder, substitute 2 teaspoons)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sudachi juice (sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit sold in many Japanese markets, but you can use 1 teaspoon of lime juice as a substitute)

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a medium pot. Allow to cool. Gently whisk the syrup into the wasabi. For best flavor, let the wasabi steep overnight. Stir in sudachi juice, then set in molds and freeze.

Watermelon Aqua Fresca Popsicle
Chef Elizabeth Karmel

1/2 fresh watermelon, seeded and diced (yields about 6 cups of juice)
2 small limes, juiced
1/4 teaspoon fine-grained sea salt
1 1/2 cups St. Germain liqueur (or sparkling wine), optional

Place a fine sieve in a large bowl or other container. Push watermelon fruit through the sieve to eliminate pulp and collect juice. (You can strain a second time with an even finer sieve or cheesecloth.) Alternatively, purée fruit in a blender and strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Set aside.

In a large pitcher, mix lime juice and salt. Add watermelon juice and optional liqueur, and stir well. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well just before use.

Pour into Popsicle molds, and let freeze overnight. Serves 12.

Readers: Do you have any favorites adult popsicle recipes? Please share with us in the comments! We’re currently testing out our own cilantro lime, basil mint, and peach champagne versions, we’d love to hear about yours.