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Cool treats make it easier to enjoy hot summer days

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Published: August 2, 2018

The round popsicles are started with a layer of apple juice before blended strawberries and blended bananas are added. They are finished with blended strawberries. The rectangular popsicles are blended strawberries and then a blended kiwi layer. | Leanne Deobald photo
The round popsicles are started with a layer of apple juice before blended strawberries and blended bananas are added. They are finished with blended strawberries. The rectangular popsicles are blended strawberries and then a blended kiwi layer. | Leanne Deobald photo

On hot summer days a large quantity of liquid is needed to keep hydrated. Frozen treats are a fun way to add cool fluids. By making your own freezer treats you can control the amount of sugar they contain and the kids can have fun helping to make these cool mixtures that the whole family can enjoy.

Fruit popsicle

  1. Popsicles are an easy cold treat to make with fruit juices. Up the flavour, nutrition and fibre by using blended whole fruits.
  • 1/4 c. water 60 mL

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  • 2 tbsp. sugar 30 mL
  • 2 c. of one of these fruits: mango, peach, kiwi or banana, cubed 500 mL
  • 2 c. raspberries or strawberries 500 mL
  • Or
  • 2-4 c. fruit juice, apple, orange or pineapple 500-1,000 mL
  • popsicle moulds or small cups
  • popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
  1. Stir together water and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. In a blender combine fruit cubes and one tablespoon of the sugar-water mixture. Cover and blend until smooth and add a little more of the sugar water if needed. Divide the mixture between popsicle moulds. Cover moulds with foil and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze one to two hours or until slushy.
  2. Combine raspberries or strawberries and the remaining sugar water mixture in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. If desired, after blending pass mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Remove foil from moulds and pour fruit mixture over the first layer. Re-cover with foil and freeze at least four hours or until completely solid.
  3. To serve, quickly run moulds under hot water and pull popsicle out of mould.
  4. Alternatively, use fruit juice as one or both of the layers or as an additional layer.
  5. Adapted from owlkids.com and magnoliajournal.com.

Sherbet or sorbet

  1. The terms sherbet and sorbet are often interchanged.
  2. Sherbet (SHER-biht) commonly refers to a frozen mixture of sweetened fruit juice and water. It can also contain milk, egg whites and/or gelatin. Sherbet is lighter than ice cream but richer than an ice.
  3. Sorbet (sor-BAY) is French for “sherbet,” which Italians call sorbetto. Sorbet is distinguished from sherbet by the fact that it never contains milk. It generally has a softer consistency than sherbet. It is also sometimes called ices, or granita (grah-nee-TAH) in Italian or granité (grah-nee-TAY) in French. An ice may be stirred more often to produce a slightly granular texture.

Frosty watermelon sherbet

  • 1 tsp. unflavoured gelatin 5 mL
  • 2 tbsp. water 30 mL
  • 2 tbsp. lime juice 30 ml
  • 2 tbsp honey 30 mL
  • 4 c. cubed seedless watermelon, divided 1 L
  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand for one minute. Microwave on high for 40 seconds. Stir and let stand for one to two minutes or until gelatin is completely dissolved.
  2. Place lime juice, honey and gelatin mixture in a blender. Add one cup (250 mL) of watermelon, cover and process until blended. Add remaining watermelon, one cup at a time, processing after each addition until smooth.
  3. Transfer to a shallow dish and freeze until almost firm. In a chilled bowl, beat with an electric mixer until mixture is bright pink. Divide among four serving dishes or several popsicle moulds, cover until firm and remove from freezer 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
  4. Adapted from tasteofhome.com.

Apple raspberry sorbet

  • 1/4 c. raspberries 60 mL
  • 1 c. apple juice 250 mL
  • 1 c. apple sauce 250 mL
  • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon .5 mL
  • 1 tbsp. honey, melted 15 mL
  • 1 lb. ice cubes 500 g
  • 1/2 c. coarse salt such as pickling salt or kosher salt 125 mL
  1. Place raspberries in a separate dish, mash with a fork to release juice and set aside.
  2. Combine apple juice, applesauce, cinnamon and honey. Strain off raspberry juice, add to applesauce mixture and combine.
  3. Freeze in an ice cream maker or Ice Cream Ball or use the coffee can method (see below).
  4. I recently discovered a soft shell ice cream ball. As the name implies, it is a ball with an opening on one side to a metal chamber into which an ice cream, sherbet or sorbet mixture is placed. This opening is closed with a sealed lid. On the opposite side of the ball is an opening into a second chamber that surrounds the ice cream chamber. Ice and coarse salt are placed into it and the opening is sealed closed.
  5. Now the fun begins. The ball is rolled, shaken or passed to another person to mix and freeze the ice cream mixture. After five minutes, open the ice cream side and with a plastic or wooden spoon scrape the mixture off the walls of the container and stir the mixture. Replace the lid and continue the rolling and passing for another five minutes. Repeat this process until the desired consistency is reached. Add ice and salt to the ice container if needed.
  6. The tasty homemade ice cream can be enjoyed at the campsite or in the backyard.
  7. The Softshell Ice Cream Ball can be ordered online from bedbathandbeyond.ca.

Coffee can method

  1. This is an inexpensive alternative to an ice cream ball or an ice cream maker.
  • 1 small plastic container with a screw lid, like an empty peanut butter or mayo jar
  • 1 large coffee can
  • 1 medium plastic bag, large enough to fit inside the large coffee can and twist tie
  • 1/2 c. coarse salt 125 mL
  • 1 lb. ice cubes 500 g
  1. Pour ice cream mixture into small container. Seal container with lid. Place plastic bag in the larger coffee can, put small container inside plastic bag. Pack ice around smaller container and top with salt. Seal plastic bag and place lid on large coffee can.
  2. Roll container back and forth on a floor or shake for 10 minutes. Open ice cream container and scrape down sides and repeat rolling and shaking. Add more ice and salt if necessary. Ice cream will be ready when 1/2 inch of ice cream is on the sides of the container and the rest is nearly frozen. Scrape down sides and stir until right consistency is reached.
  3. Adapted from Light Weight Backcountry Baking by Kristin Weimer, 2005.

Almond Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

  • 2 c. unsweetened original flavour almond milk 500 mL
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 7 mL
  • 1/3 c. sugar 75 mL
  • ice cubes
  • 1/4 c. coarse salt 60 mL
  1. Mix ingredients together and pour into an ice cream maker or Ice Cream Ball or use the coffee can method.
  2. Note: This recipe can also be used to make vanilla ice cream replacing the almond milk with cream, half and half or part milk. Cream makes a richer creamier ice cream. Using half and half or milk makes a lighter ice cream but takes longer to freeze.
  3. Additional flavours:
  4. Chocolate chip ice cream — Add up to 1/4 cup (60 mL) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate.
  5. Hot cocoa ice cream — Add two to thre packets of hot cocoa mix.
  6. Coffee ice cream — Replace one cup of cream with a cup of cold coffee and add a pinch of salt.
  7. Berry ice cream — Add up to 1/4 cup (60 mL) of fresh or frozen berries.
  8. Candy ice cream — Add favourite chocolate bar broken into pieces.

 

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