Summer Melon Medley Pops

So, it’s set to feel like 40ºC here today (that 104ºF for those of you not in Canada). That’s really, REALLY hot for June. At least for me. I figure what better to share than then the popsicles that completely changed my outlook on just buying them.

The recipe is from Irresistible Ice Pops by Sunil Vijayakar. You can see my whole review on the cook book here.

I’m giving a copy of it away too. Yeah, this is a really great post! To throw your hat in the ring for the book, just leave a comment here, on twitter, or on facebook.

Let’s get to the popsicle though, that’s what we’re here for after all.

I should mention that I didn’t have the cantaloupe the recipe calls for, so I just doubled up the watermelon. I may have eaten the cantaloupe with some bocconcini and prosciutto. May have.

It was delicious.

Still, even without the cantaloupe, Oliver and I couldn’t get enough of these. It was a good thing I ended up doubling the recipe too.

First up, we’ve got to make the sugar syrup. This is very easy. Put some sugar and water into a pan.

Cook it over low heat until all the sugar dissolves, bring it to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer for 4 minutes. Easy peasy. Then let it cool. I also may not have let it cool. I really wanted some popsicles.

While the sugar syrup is cooking, get the rest of your ingredients ready. Zest and juice 1 lime.

Lovely.

Chop up 2 cups of watermelon. Now, it’s going into a blender, so you just just cut it into big chunks in about 2 seconds. I got a little knife happy here. It’s a long story… basically, I was acting out being a ninja while Oliver and Maggie scrambled to get all the flying pieces. Yes, Maggie is the dog. Yes, she likes watermelon. A lot.

Alright, 2 cups, all measured out. Also, a lot of watery mess from my ninja styles. In hindsight, that was a bit of a miscalculation on my part. I never think about the clean-up in the heat of the moment.

Mix together ½ cup of the sugar syrup that you made and the lime juice and zest.

Put everything into the blender.

Blend it until smooth. When you make these properly, with the cantaloupe, you’ll do this part twice (as reflected in the recipe below).

You’ll need to do this part twice too. Pouring the watermelon mixture into the pops, freezing it, then adding the cantaloupe mixture and freezing it.

It’s always good to have a helper. Note Maggie, still hoping that more watermelon will go flying about for her.

Popsicle sticking is serious business.

Ok, maybe not that serious.

You can not tell me that on a hot day, you wouldn’t give just about anything for one of these. There are days I would debate giving my children for one of these. I kid… Honest.

Stop! Popsicle thief!

Here’s your printable:

Summer Melon Medley Pops

Yield: 8 popsicles

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Print

Ingredients

Sugar Syrup

• ½ cup superfine sugar
• 1 cup water

Summer Melon Medley Pops

• juice and finely grated rind of 1 lime
• ½ cup sugar syrup
• 1 cup seeded and coarsely chopped watermelon flesh
• 1 cup seeded and coarsely chopped cantaloupe melon flesh

Instructions

Sugar Syrup

1. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over a low heat, stirring, for 6–8 minutes, or until all the sugar has dissolved.
2. Increase the heat to high until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3–4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until completely cooled.
4. Store the cooled syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Summer Melon Medley Pops

1. Put the lime juice, lime rind, and sugar syrup into a small bowl and stir together well.
2. Put the watermelon and half of the lime syrup in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into eight ½-cup ice pop molds. Freeze for 4 hours, or until firm.
3. When the watermelon mixture is frozen, put the cantaloupe melon and remaining lime syrup in the blender and process until smooth. Pour on top of the frozen watermelon mixture. Insert the ice pop sticks (see page 8) and freeze for 4 hours, or until firm.
4. To unmold the ice pops, dip the frozen molds into warm water for a few seconds and gently release the pops while holding the sticks.

Notes

Eat within 3 months of freezing.

Excerpted from Irresistible Ice Pops by Sunil Vijayakar. Copyright © 2012 by Parragon Books Ltd. Reprinted with permission from the publisher, LOVE FOOD, an imprint of Parragon Books Ltd.