Studio 5 Party, Holiday and Ideas Contributor Alisa Bangerter shares her unique ideas to make your own frozen creations!
Tips, tricks and ideas for making fabulous frozen treats:
• Freeze in creative containers – a great way to put a twist on frozen treats is to vary their shape. Look around your kitchen and home to find some food safe containers to freeze in. Try paper cups, muffin tins, ice cube trays, tin/metal molds, silicone molds, drinking glasses, glass bowls, etc. If treats will not pull out easily, run mold under hot water briefly.
• There are many pre-made molds for frozen treats and one of my favorites are the Volcano Fillable Ice-Pops molds made by Prepara. The molds freeze treats with a hollow center that can then be filled with juice, berries, whipped cream or any other surprise. They are really fun! Check out this link for more information: http://www.prepara.com/volcano_pops.php
• Tovolo makes some very unique pop molds and they come in fun twisty shapes, rocket shapes, ring pop shapes, etc. Check out this link: www.tovolo.com
• The stick in a frozen treat can be as fun as the frozen treat itself. Try wood sticks (Popsicle type sticks, wood tongue depressors, wood skewers/dowels), lollipop sticks, crazy straws, hard straws, drink stirrers, spoons, etc.
• To help prop sticks in liquid, add stick to item after it has started to thicken in the freezer or cover containers with heavy foil and insert sticks through to hold.
• Prevent drips from melting treats, by cutting a slit in a cupcake paper or foil liner and sliding onto the stick under the frozen treat. You could also cut an apple slice and slide on the stick like a little platform to catch drips.
• Be creative in what you freeze: juice, soda, lemonade, puddings, hot chocolate, pureed fruit, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate mousse, flavored water, etc. Layer items (freeze between layers) to create unique items. Some artificial sweetened products will not freeze well so make sure to test out different substances to make sure they freeze okay.
• Spread thicker substances (pudding, softened ice cream, fruit purees) in a foil-lined pan or baking sheet, freeze, then cut into shapes, wedges, etc. and insert a stick and refreeze.
• Pureed fruit is excellent frozen and healthy. Dilute with water and add a little bit of sugar and lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Freeze add-ins in your frozen treats such as whole berries, slices of fruits, tiny chocolate chips, etc. If you use heavier items remember thy may sink to the bottom so smaller pieces the better.
• Remember that freezing dulls flavors and you may need to add some extra flavorings.
• For an easy quick treat, cut a slit in the top of pudding, gelatin or yogurt cups, insert a plastic spoon and freeze.
• Add pizzazz to purchased frozen treats. For example, cut ice cream sandwiches in fun shapes or small squares, roll the sides in colored sprinkles and insert a stick. Refreeze. Coordinate the sprinkles to match an event or holiday.
• Freeze fruit on a stick. Bananas dipped in chocolate or rolled in peanut butter and nuts/coconut are yummy. Watermelon slices cut into shapes are great frozen on sticks. Berries, grapes, and fruit chunks are also refreshing when placed on a skewer and frozen. A pineapple wedge on a stick dipped in orange or pineapple juice and coconut then frozen is a delicious tropical treat. Be creative – many fruits freeze well.
• A cute ice cream treat is to insert a stick into a piece of brownie, small candy bar or dipped chocolate and place in a paper cup. Fill the cup with softened ice cream and freeze. When frozen, remove the cup and roll edges of ice cream in nuts, coconut, sprinkles, crushed cereal, crushed candy bars, etc.
• Scoop ice cream into small balls and place on a cookie sheet, insert a stick and freeze solid. Dip frozen scoops in melted chocolate. This creates an ice cream chocolate covered lollipop like treat.
• Freeze items in scooped out fruit shells (lemon, lime, orange) which double as tiny bowls. You don’t need a stick for this but it is really cute.
• Want a cool frozen treat for your dog? Freeze beef broth in small containers.
• Freeze baked goods on sticks: mini cream puffs, cheesecake pieces, brownie chunks, cake pieces, etc. Use to dip in chocolate fountains – where the frozen fruit instantly hardens the chocolate. Try fruit the same way. Very refreshing in the summer.
• Place a scoop of ice cream between two homemade chocolate chip cookies. Add a stick and freeze.
• Don’t want to wait for items to freeze? Try the Zoku Pop Maker that makes frozen treats in 7 minutes! It is amazing and so much fun! Available at Williams Sonoma retail stores or at www.williamssonoma.com
• For a quick and easy ice cream without an ice cream machine try this: Combine 2 cups buttermilk and 1 ½ cups jam (raspberry, strawberry, peach, etc.). Pour into a pan and freeze. Place frozen mixture into a large bowl and using electric beaters, beat until fluffy and smooth. Place whipped mixture into a bowl or paper cups adding sticks and refreeze.
• There are a quite a few creative books with ideas for frozen treats. Check out these: Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski and Pops!: Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella
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