Ice Creams and Popsicles - Homemade Compilation

In such hot weather in most countries, find something to refresh becomes a daily thing, that's for sure.When you only drink iced tea or soda to refresh for several week, It not only becomes boring but harmful too. That's why there are popsicles and ice cream as another way to freshen up, made mostly of natural products are very healthy plus you can make them at home to your taste!

In this Instructable I want to show several of the recipes that are prepared in my house. I not just put one recipe, because I would have to choose the best, and the truth is that they are all delicious. So this Instructable will be more like a "compilation" of the recipes that we prepare in my home, which will be updated each time we prepare something new! I will try to add more recipes as soon I prepare them at home, so keep checking!

But first, we'll go for some tips and basics when preparing Popsicles and ice cream, just to get into ... Heat?

PS: I do not usually use measurements in my recipes, because I do everything empirically, even if I follow a recipe from a book or TV, I just look the ingredients and then I choose quantities. I will try to give some proportions so you can do any amount and not be limited to a specific amount, but I also recommend trying your own amounts and experience every taste =)

Step 1: Basics - Tips and Ideas

When preparing Ice cream or Popsicles, some people may find that they don't have what it needs to do it, even sometimes think that if it is not with a specific mold for it, they can not do it. Well, luckily this mentality is being lost and even more with the help of hundreds of ideas here at Instructables.

So the main thing to be taken to prepare a Popsicle or ice cream is to have a mold, any mold, either a brand, made for it, a glass, a plastic one or anything (See photos). Include a few sticks or spoons to put into our palette or ice cream. If you can get rustic wooden sticks would be better, it will stick to any preparation.

The other point to consider are the ingredients. The end result will always depend on the quality of the ingredients. If we make a ice cream of berries, but we did not realize that half of them were damaged, the result will not be pleasant. So, always choose the freshest or ideal for each recipe.

The sweetener. Although you can use sugar, I think it is preferable to use honey. It is a natural sweetener with a pleasant sweetness in small amounts and not as strong as it could be with sugar. It dissolves much easier too, even in the thickest mixtures.

Milk as an ingredient to create a creamy mixture is highly recommended. Preferably whole milk. You can also reach creamy texture by adding cornstarch (previously prepared in the oven and let stand).

Another way to thicken a mixture is with banana. In this case we must take into account that bananas contains some sweetness, so we use much less honey. Personally I prefer to use bananas that are "being damaged", those who are getting dark. Why? The fact that look like damaged it doesn't mean they are really damaged. Yes, they are fermenting, but still edible. In this fermented state, natural sweetness increases and the mixture gets even thicker. As additional tip, if you have not do it before, prepare a banana juice with milk using fermented bananas, will make it even more delicious.

Finally, using frozen fruits to prepare the mixtures , helps to speed up the process in the fridge. And frozen fruits preserves better, such as banana, mango, blackberries and strawberries, among others. (The watermelon is not recommended to freeze, it will lose their texture)

If you have trouble removing your Popsicle from mold, try to put it down running water for a few seconds, at least 30 seconds, and try to get it out again. For plastic molds that can be pressed, tap the bottom with your finger, it will be enough. This trick works if you are re-using molds of Snack Packs.

Now, finally, let's start with the recipes!

Step 2: Milky Black-Strawberry

This is a simple recipe, with two red berries and will have a slightly acid taste in the end. It is semi-creamy with moderate sweetness.

Ingredients:

For every 1 cup of milk

• ½ cup blackberries
• ½ cup strawberries
• Honey to taste.
• 1 Spoon of Rose water tea (Not a must)

Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until most of the strawberries and blackberries are crushed. It is not necessary that it is well mixed, if there is some chunks of fruit, much better (or add at the end, if you want). Pour the mixture into your chosen molds and let it freeze.

Step 3: Hack - Snack Pack Pudding

The Snack Packs are something new in my city. More recently with the better opening of foreign trade in my country, have come new products not previously seen, this is one of them.

But I must be honest, when I tried the first time, I did not like very much, ate them at the moment I bought it (they were at room temperature). I left them, so just throw it into the freezer without thinking. The next day, looking for something to eat, I saw them again, I thought of giving them another chance (I was very hungry!)

I was surprised!!. As a creamy popsicle were much more delicious!

So I thought I could add something else and create two modifications:

Vanilla and Fruit Loops:

• 1 Snack Pack Vanilla
• Fruit Loops Cereal

Ultra-Chocolate:

• 1 Snack Pack Chocolate
• Oreos or chocolate chip cookies

- A sterile syringe (or kitchen syringe)

- Honey (In this case, you should first test if the type of honey you use gets hardened in the freezer, otherwise you could replace it with sweet syrup mixture that hardens on cold temperature)

Simply add the extra ingredient in each Snack Pack (Cereal and chocolate cookies) and mix with a small spoon or popsicle stick. Then, with the syringe (remember, sterile and remove the needle), fill it with honey and inject into the center of each Snack Pack. In that center you gonna put the popsicle sticks. Now place in the freezer and wait at least 12 hours to get well frozen. Then, enjoy!

Step 4: Banana and Strawberry Ice Cream

This is a somewhat classic recipe. It needs just a banana to create a creamy texture which becomes ice cream. Is a great idea, and we have seen some other Instructables showing it.

But this time I wanted to add a different flavor. In my case I added strawberries to create a Banana and strawberry ice cream, but you can add any other fruit, such as mango, papaya or blackberry. In this case, I continue with strawberry.

Ingredients.

• 2 large Bananas -Frozen and chopped- (I used the "fermented" ones, for the reason explained before)
• 1 cup Strawberries -frozen and chopped-.
• Honey to taste.

Mix everything in a blender or food processor. It is easier in a food processor. Trying to mix it very well, but there's not trouble if there are small chunks of strawberry, always left some.

Pour this mixture into a bowl and let it cool for one or two hours.

Serve as any other ice cream. If you keep it in the fridge for longer time, before serving I recommend to take it out of the freezer and let it rest in room temperature for about 10-20 minutes, to soften again.