It’s hot out. Let’s not make a fuss. Eat a popsicle and call it dessert. Call it a snack. Call it dinner. You’ll eat a salad later or something with kale to make up for it. Or maybe you’ll just watch another episode of Orange is the New Black and linger a little too long with the freezer door open as it puffs its cold white air into your face.
Popsicles seem to have hit their stride lately. In this town there are at least 2 small artisanal popsicle carts and food magazines and blogs are discovering all kinds of unique flavour combinations. But my homemade popsicle history goes back decades and is a little more pedestrian. My mom made orange juice popsicles from cans of frozen orange juice every summer. It was exciting at first, but by the third summer, orange juice popsicles lost their sheen. But then Bill Cosby hit the television, and the orange juice pops were replaced by chocolate pudding pops which we made by whipping up a batch of powdered pudding and freezing it. Those were some good times.
When I moved out, one of the first things I bought besides a hot air popcorn popper, was a dollar store popsicle set-up. At first, I made lemonade popsicles but then started throwing my leftover yogurt fruit smoothies into the molds. It was revelatory and became a standard summer time practice. I bought another dollar store popsicle maker set so that my freezer would always have popsicles. Not a bad way to cope with summer…right?
But this is my first attempt at a fudgesicle and I’m going to be straight up with you. I’m making more. I’ve already made a second batch with the addition of espresso. Mocha pops! Sure, making homemade fugesicles is a bit more labour intensive than pouring in juice or ice-tea, but it’s still easy. In fact, it’s like making hot chocolate, but instead of pouring the liquid into a mug, you’re pouring it into your popsicle molds and popping them into the freezer. Make them in the morning and you’ll have something dark and dreamy by the heat of the afternoon. That’s my popsicle prescription. And buy a second set of molds. Your freezer needs constant popsicle contact.
dark & creamy chocolate fudgesicles
This recipe if flexible. Use one of the variations below to mix it up a bit. Don’t like eating things on sticks? Just pour the cooled mixture into your ice cream maker and process as usual for a great creamy sorbet!2 c almond milk (or use the milk of your choice)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
1/2 c bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips
pinch of kosher saltVariations:
- add 2 t of espresso powder to the saucepan along with the cocoa to make mocha popsicles
- add 1/2 t of cinnamon & 1/8 t cayenne pepper along with the cocoa to make a mexican chocolate pops
Combine the almond milk and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add in cocoa, salt and chocolate chips, whisking until the cocoa is blended and the chips are melted. Strain if needed – I didn’t which leaves a very slight cocoa grit in the popsicles which I didn’t mind at all. Pour into popsicle molds or cool and pour into an ice cream machine to make sorbet. Makes about 9 popsicles.
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My mom made orange juice popsicles also!! We always thought they were the best. Though I’m sure we would have appreciated chocolate more. 🙂
Where did you get your popsicle molds? I have scoured the dollar and drug stores of Vancouver this summer and still there remains a gaping hole in my life where popsicles should be 🙁
Best fudgicles EVER = I cup milk and 1/3 cup nutella. Whiz in a blender and pour into your popsicle mold. Freeze and enjoy!!!!!!!! So easy and super yummy. I don’t really like frozen treats too much, as I have sensitive teeth, but I have a hard time giving all of these beauties to my kids, they’re that good! Ciao
Joanne, glad to see that orange juice popsicles were a common summer treat growing up!
Vanessa, I got my molds over 10 years ago – you can always check out grocery stores or London Drugs. I saw some at Ming Wo and Gourmet Warehouse, but they’re a bit more expensive. Good luck on your search!
OMG, Rochelle, that is the easiest fudgesicle recipe ever!! I never have Nutella on hand otherwise I’d be whipping up a batch right this minute!
I need to make these right now! I’ve just returned home from a sweltering hot commute in my old car. These look like the perfect way to cool down and so easy too. 🙂
What a great idea! Brings back fond childhood memories of juice based popsicles made at home. Shockingly I never tried to make pudding-based ones as a kid although I do have a vivid memory of Bill Cosby’s commercials.
Sadly, I don’t have a popsicle mold at home so I don’t have the luxury of making homemade frozen treats. What’s even sadder is that my local dollar store seldom carries popsicle molds but now I’m determined to find some. Thanks for putting the bug in my ear 🙂
Caz, they’re totally easy to make! Enjoy the cool treats!
Joanne, get yourself some molds! A great way to make summer more bearable – so easy to make and the variations are endless!
All these popsicle recipes on blogs at the moment are making me pine for summer – we’re smack bang in the middle of winter here in Australia and it’s COLD! I shall have to start bookmarking recipes so I don’t forget when the warmer weather finally rolls around again – these look delicious!
I have some moulds shaped like rockets which make fun popsicles (and I don’t even have any kids!)
Liz, I so want funner popsicle molds! Hang on, summer will be here before you know it (just like winter will be for me).
Delicious! Thanks for another great recipe. When I share your recipes with friends I always list you as my favourite food blogger!
Cathy, thanks so much for the compliment. I’m blushing!!
Hi Kickpleat – I’m off to the store to get the ingredients to make a few batches of these to help get us through this lovely hot weather in the lower mainland! I somehow missed making them last summer!
Cathy, enjoy, it’s definitely popsicle season right now! I’ll be whipping up a batch shortly too 🙂