As summer fades and fall starts to roll in, many tropical regions like Africa are still dealing with hot, sticky days, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C on average. With soaring temperatures, everyone is looking for different ways to cool down, for kids, they love to splash around in the pool. Since it’s already a school session, the kids will only be free during the weekends.
But let’s be real; if you’re a busy mom, whether you’re working or managing things at home, taking the kids to the pool every weekend can be a lot to handle. That’s where freezer pops come in. This fun snack is an easy alternative to help the kids cool off nicely without a constant trip to the pool. In this article, we’re going to share very easy to follow steps on how to make your freezer pops at home.
What Are The Materials You’ll Need?
These materials are easy to find, you probably already have them lying around in your kitchen. However, if you don’t have any of the material, you can head over to the closest supermarket for a quick buy.
- Popsicle molds
- Popsicle sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Freezer
Basic Freezer Pop Recipe
These ingredients are standard ingredients to make freezer pops. However, people like to tweak things a little and add more ingredients of their choice, or even add more or less of certain ingredients. You just have to do whatever works for you. Here is the list of the needed ingredients:
- 2 cups of fruit juice (e.g., orange, pineapple, or mixed berry)
- 1/2 cup of water
- Sweetener to taste (honey, agave syrup, or sugar)
- Optional: fresh fruit chunks or yogurt for added texture
Instructions for Making Freezer Pops
Prepare the mixture: First thing you have to do is to get the mixing bowl or a saucepan, whichever one you have at your disposal. Proceed to combine fruit juice and water. Some people love their freezer pops sweeter, so if that’s your kind of vibe, you can add 1 – 2 tablespoons of your desired sweetener. Give that mixture a nice stir to combine everything.
Tip: This tip is completely optional. If you want a creamier textured freezer pops, you can blend the juice with yogurt, or add small fruit chunks to the mixture.
Heating: This is another optional step. If you want a better flavor blending, all you have to do is gently heat the mixture on low heat for about 3 – 5 minutes, stir it constantly until the sweetener is fully dissolved.
Pour into molds: Get your washed molds, and carefully pour the juice mixture into the provided compartment. Now this next step is really important, after pouring the mixture, leave a small gap at the top to allow the liquid to expand as it freezes.
Insert popsicle sticks: Once the molds are filled, insert the popsicle sticks into each mold. Initially, if your molds don’t hold the sticks in place, let the mixture freeze for about 30 – 40 minutes, then insert the sticks.
Freezing: Place the molds in the freezer and let the pops freeze for at least 4 – 6 hours, or until they’re completely solid. When you want to get out the pops from the molds, All you need to do is run the molds under warm water for a few seconds.
Summary
Even though summer’s wrapping up, it’s still pretty hot in places like Africa. And while kids love cooling off in the pool, let’s be honest; taking them there every weekend can be a lot, especially with school back in session. That’s why freezer pops are a game-changer. They’re very easy to make , plus they help the kids cool down without all the hassle.
All you need are some simple ingredients like juice, water, and sweetener, plus molds and sticks. Mix it all together, pour it into the molds, and pop them in the freezer for a few hours. Once they’re frozen, just run the molds under warm water and there you have it, your homemade freezer pops!
