Watermelon Popsicles

Makes about 8 popsicles

4 cups cubed watermelon flesh (about 1 pound, rind removed)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey, optional

Blend the watermelon, lime juice and optional honey in a blender (or process the melon through a juicer then stir in the lime juice and honey). Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing the fibrous melon with the back of a spoon to extract the maximum amount of juice. Carefully pour or spoon the juice into popsicle molds and freeze until solid. If using popsicle sticks, insert the sticks when the popsicles are partially frozen.

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Easy Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Bon Bons

Ingredients

serves Serves 8, active time 20 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream (or your favorite flavor)
• 12 ounces best quality dark chocolate, melted in the microwave or double boiler
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  

Procedures

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a melon baller to make mini scoops of ice cream adding them to the parchment lined tray. Freeze scoops until firm, about 2 hours.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together melted chocolate and coconut oil until thoroughly combined. Let cool slightly.
3. Prepare a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove ice cream from freezer. Working quickly, use a spoon to place ice cream scoops in the chocolate and roll it around until coated. Carefully remove the bon bon with a fork and place it on the second baking sheet. If at any point your ice cream scoops start to get overly melty, return them to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to allow them to firm up. Store in freezer until immediately before serving.

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Lemon Ice Cream

LEMON ICE CREAM

About This Recipe

YIELD:	makes 1 1/2 quarts
ACTIVE TIME:	1 1/2 hours
TOTAL TIME:	2 hours, plus an overnight chill
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:	ice cream maker
THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:	Scooped: The Most Lemony Lemon Ice Cream

• For lemon ice cream:
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 3/4 cup lemon juice from 6 to 8 lemons
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
•  
• For candied lemons:
• 2 lemons, sliced about 1/8" thick and finely chopped, seeds removed
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup, glucose, or agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Procedures

1. 1
   For ice cream: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Slowly whisk in cream and half and half until fully incorporated. Put on stove on medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until a custard forms on the back of a spoon and a finger swiped across it leaves a clean line, 5 to 7 minutes. Strain into an airtight container and stir in lemon juice, zest, and salt to taste. Cover and chill overnight in refrigerator.
2. 2
   The next day, strain base into ice cream maker to remove zest and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. In last minute of churning, add candied lemons if using (procedure below). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and let chill in freezer for 5 to 6 hours before serving.
3. 3
   For the candied lemons: Start candying the lemons once you finish making the lemon custard base and chill it in the refrigerator. Set two pots on stove with 1 quart of water in each and bring to a boil. Set a colander or large strainer in the sink. While waiting for water to boil, slice, chop, and seed lemons.
4. 4
   Add lemons to one pot and cook for 20 seconds, then drain lemons into colander in sink and immediately rinse with very cold water until no longer hot. Fill up pot again and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cook lemons in second pot for another 20 seconds, then drain into colander and rinse again until cool. Repeat this process with the freshly boiled water from the first pot.
5. 5
   Put rinsed lemons in an empty pot and add 1 cup fresh water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Heat on medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, until syrup reaches a bare simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook until lemons are soft and begin to turn translucent, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer syrup and lemons to an airtight container, then chill overnight. Candied lemons will keep for several weeks.
6. 6
   While ice cream is churning, drain syrup away from candied lemons, reserving for another use. Stir lemons in during last minute of churning.

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Honey Pineapple Greek Froyo

 

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Author: Heidi @ Food Doodles
Ingredients

• 3 C plain Greek Yogurt(low fat is fine, but higher fat yogurt will be easier to “scoop”)

• ⅓ C mild flavored honey + 1 tbsp extra

• 1-2 tbsp pineapple juice or lemon juice

• 2-3 C fresh pineapple, chopped into small bite sized pieces and frozen overnight

Instructions

1. In a bowl stir together the Greek yogurt, ⅓ C honey(reserving the 1 tbsp for another use) and pineapple or lemon juice. When fully combined place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, until ready to make froyo.

1. When ready, freeze the froyo according to your ice cream makers directions. When the froyo is almost done, remove the chopped pineapple from the freezer and drizzle with the extra honey. If you’re able to, drop the pineapple into the machine and let it mix. If your machine is not able to handle it, stop the machine and stir in the frozen pineapple by hand. Pour mixture into a chilled loaf pan or another container and place in the freezer until completely frozen.

Notes
To serve either let the froyo warm up for 10-15 minutes before trying to scoop or dip the loaf pan into hot water to loosen the froyo. Remove the frozen yogurt and slice with a s

Source: http://fooddoodles.com/2013/05/31/honey-pineapple-greek-froyo/

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Spiced Apple Pie Smoothie (vegan, gluten-free)

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Yield: about 16 ounces, 2 generous smoothies

Smooth, creamy, refreshing and tastes like a slice of spiced apple pie in a cup.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups apple cider or apple juice

1 cup yogurt (vanilla, plain, or apple cinnamon; use regular, vegan, soy, coconut milk, or your favorite yogurt)

1/4 cup milk or non-dairy nut milk, optional (omit for a thicker smoothie)

1 medium ripe banana (previously frozen is ideal but not required)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch nutmeg and/or cardamom, optional

sugar or sweetener (agave, stevia, maple syrup, etc.) optional and to taste

2 cups ice, optional and as necessary

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except ice, in a large blender or Vita-Mix and blend until smooth and creamy, taking care any sweetener used has dissolved and is well incorporated. If desired, pour over ice or blend ice into the smoothie noting that this will water it down a bit; if time permits refrigerating or freezing smoothie to chill is recommending.

Tips: Pour excess portion(s) into glasses and freeze ahead for later (30 seconds in the microwave is what I do to thaw in a hurry); pour excess into bowls and freeze for apple pie frozen yogurt; or pour into Popsicle molds, paper cups, or ice cube trays and freeze for homemade frozen treats.

Optional: Add 1 to 2 ounces of Rum, Vodka, Marshmallow Vodka, Apple Vodka, Apple Schnapps, Gran Marnier or similar, per smoothie portion, or to taste. Or add 1 to 2 scoops of vanilla or plain protein powder. Use caramel sauce in the mixture or drizzled over the top before drinking.

Source: http://www.averiecooks.com/2012/02/spiced-apple-pie-smoothie.html

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Layered Ice Cubes

Aren't these pretty?  They're just ordinary ice cubes, made with layers of fruit juices.  And they're not just pretty, they actually have a purpose--- as they melt they flavor whatever you've plopped them into.  The drink below started out as just plain sparkling water.  Now it's a rhubarb/sour cherry/pineapple/lime all natural soda.  

Pinterest is pretty awesome.  If you're willing to scroll through a few hundred  thousand or so pins you might just find a gem.  Like these ice cubes.  Sometimes little projects like this work out, and sometimes they don't.  This one was easy and straightforward, and I'm happy to report they came out looking  just like I'd hoped.  Better still, they actually made my drink taste good.  It's a win win for this pin.

It works best if you have an ice cube mold that makes large square cubes.  That way you have room to layer the different colored juices, and they look good when they're frozen.  I used these silicone molds.  The silicone makes the ice easy to remove, and they're sturdy so they hold their shape as you put them in the freezer.

There are so many ways to do this, but keep in mind the relationship between the flavor of your ice cubes and the liquid you're going to put them into.  Use a combination of flavors that sounds good to you.  I think mixed citrus cubes in rum or vodka would be fantastic. You can used canned, bottled, or fresh juice.  The more colorful, the better.

For these cubes I used an assortment of bottled, (sour cherry and pomegranate) canned. (pineapple) and fresh (orange and lime) juices.  I added water to my rhubarb simple syrup and used that too.  Then I just layered the juices in different combinations.  I wouldn't use smoothies for these because they will become muddy as they melt and make your drink unappealing.

Layered Ice Cubes         ~~~Pinned from Martha Stewart and Oh Joy!

at least 3 different fruit juices; you can use tonal colors, or contrasting shades

• Spoon or pour a little juice on the bottom layer of your cubes.  Freeze the tray until the layer is frozen, this might take 30 minutes or so, depending on how much you pour, the size of your tray, and the temperature of your freezer.  
• Once frozen, spoon a different layer over the top, and freeze again.  Repeat with the third juice.  
• When the cubes are frozen, remove and add to your drink of choice.  It will help preserve your pretty ice if the drink itself is already cold.

Notes:  I found that the more pronounced flavors worked well, like lemon, lime or sour cherry.  They really added a nice punch to the water.  If you want to make these ahead of time and store them, I would arrange them on a flat surface and separate each layer of cubes with waxed paper because they tend to be stickier than regular ice.

I'm not done playing with ice cubes.  I love the idea of flavoring hot weather drinks this way.
How about:

• coffee cubes in iced coffee, or in Bailey's Irish Cream
• lemonade cubes in iced tea 
• coconut milk cubes in Thai iced tea
• lime and mint cubes in a mojito
• chocolate cubes in cold milk
• blood orange cubes in a rose spritzer

What will you put in your glass?

Source: http://theviewfromthegreatisland.blogspot.com.br/2013/05/minimal-monday-layered-ice-cubes.html

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