For Christmas, I got a neat gadget - a Zoku popsicle maker. Well actually I got two of them so I exchanged one of them to get all the neat accessories that come with it. Since I can't do any more work on the diaper bag until I get my fabric...I decided to try it out. First I got out my supplies:
There were lots of ideas for simple pops using just one or two ingredients but if you know me, you know I never want to start with a small easy version of something. I always want to just dive right in. So I decided to make a pop from my recipe book called Apple Pie a la Mode. I love apple pie so it seemed like it would be a tasty popsicle choice. This pop is made with an apple layer (applesauce, apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon), a cream layer (half and half, vanilla and honey or nectar), and graham cracker crumbs.
In the picture above, you can see i mixed my apple layer in one cup and my cream layer in another. I also got out the zoku maker and inserted the popsicle sticks. Next I poured a little of the cream layer in, let it freeze and then poured some apple layer in.
Note: if you use graham cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, or anything else crumbly, wait until the liquid below is frozen or mostly frozen and then after you pour them in, use a blunt object to tap them into a dense layer. If you don't tap it down, your pop may fall apart when you try to eat it (or remove it from the Zoku). I continued layering until the pops got to the fill line and then just waited for them to freeze (prob 6-8mins).
To tell when they are done, just watch them. They freeze from the inside out since they are surrounded by the freezing metal of the zoku. See in the picture above? You can see the outside is frozen but the inside wasn't quite done when i took this pic. You can also just tap or move the zoku a little and if you see any liquid shifting then it isn't done quite yet. Once they are done, it comes with a handle that has a screw inside. You take the handle and screw it on top of the popsicle sticks.
Just keep tightening the handle onto the pop and eventually the popsicle will break free from the mold and you can pull it smoothly out
See how nice the layers came out? My favorite is the apple layer. I used regular applesauce and frankly, i think I could make popsicles with just the applesauce and cinnamon and they would still be delicious. The cream layer wasn't quite as sweet as I had hoped but I might have needed to add more honey or perhaps I didn't get it properly mixed. Here's how the rest of my delicious Apple Pie Popsicles turned out:
Apple Pie A La Mode layered pops
By tilting the Zoku, you can make angled pops like these
You can purchase these at many stores such as Brookstone, Macy's, etc. For more information, click the photo below to go to the manufacturer's website:
