Karis' refreshing summer poptails
Wimbledon 2017 kicked off yesterday and that can only mean one thing - the British summer has officially begun! But if you haven’t managed to scoop a seat in Centre Court - don’t worry. Ice lolly connoisseur Karis Gesua is getting us in the Wimbledon spirit with some homemade poptails.
From refreshing Pimms to peachy Prosecco these summer treats will ensure you stay cool while the matches heat up on court.
Recipes taken from The Lolly Book by Karis Gesua
Pimms popsicles
Pimm’s O’Clock Wimbledon is just around the corner, celebrate the summer in style with this quintessentially British poptail
Prep time = 10 minutes Freezing time = over night or at least 6 hours
Ingredients
80g of fresh strawberries80g of fresh whole oranges8g of freshly squeezed lemon juice (a good squeeze)40g of water20g of Pimm’sHalf a slice of cucumber per poptail20g of natural, unrefined fair trade cane sugar (approx 4 level teaspoons)
Method
Whizz all the ingredients in a blender and add sugar at the end once blended to a smooth consistency
Pour into the mould then place the cucumber slice gently into the mould
Peach bellini
Serves: 4Prep 5 minutes6 hours freezing or overnight
Ingredients
200g white peaches, stoned and chopped (its best to keep the skin on, but remove if you prefer)4 teaspoons natural unrefined sugar1 bottle prosecco, chilled4 large wine glasses
Tip: make sure the lolly will fit into the wine glass you will be using.
Method
Put the peaches, sugar and 100 ml of water in a blender and whizz together
Divide the mixture between the moulds, leaving a 1 cm gap at the top
Insert the sticks with the stick-holders and place in a freezer
When frozen, de-mould and store until ready to use
To serve, place each lolly in a wine glass and pour over the prosecco
As your guests stir the lollies, they can watch the prosecco turn into the famous cocktail, but with a lolly twist
Fruity yogurt bites
Ingredients
Natural yogurtFruit cut into small piecesA variety of seeds (we used pumpkin, flax, chia, sunflower seeds)
Cupcake cases (we find the small, shallow ones work the best)
Method
Place the cupcake cases on a tray (ensure it fits into the freezer)
Spoon some yogurt into each case, leaving room to add some fruit and seeds. Spoon your preferred mixture of fruit and seeds on top of the yogurt.
Place the tray in the freezer on a flat surface and, once frozen, transfer the bites into an airtight container and keep in the freezer for when you need a snack
Topping combinations that work well together are:
Strawberries and peachesBerries and seedsMango and kiwiBanana and chiaApricot and peachStrawberry, banana and poppy seeds
Method
All you need to get started are some plastic lolly moulds and wooden lolly sticks (you can get these for about £2 online), a piece of card (from an old cereal box) or piece of foil, a blender and a sink or bowl filled with warm water.
The recipe makes 4 x 60g poptails. If your lolly moulds are larger or you need to make more than 4, just increase the quantities in proportion.
Follow the instructions below for mixing the ingredients. · If possible, use unrefined sugar (preferably fair trade and organic).
When pouring, always leave a 1cm gap from the top of the mould as the liquid expands as it freezes.
Cut out a piece of card to fit the top of your mould or fit foil around the mould. · Mark the centre of each mould with a pen.
Pierce a hole through the card or foil and insert the stick into each mould, making sure you leave enough of the stick for people to hold.
Freeze overnight or for at least 6 hours if you’re in a hurry.
Check the lollies are frozen before you take them out.
To de-mould, swish the bottom of the mould in warm water for 3 seconds and pull out each poptail. Enjoy straight away or put them back in the freezer for when you’re ready to serve them!