DIY Ice Pops

Summer season means more sun kissed days and evening tipples, hurray! We’re bringing you a collection of cool and refreshing fruity and boozy ice lolly recipes to let your hair down and cool off on those hot afternoons while you tuck into these fruity favourites! Check out our ultimate thirst quenchers below…

Sunshine lollies – Just the thing to enjoy on a hot summer’s day. A sweet combination of orange, satsuma & carrot for a refreshing low-calorie cooler that the whole family will enjoy. These lollies are also vegan & gluten-free, yay!

What you’ll need:

5 large carrots

Juice of 3 large oranges, zest of 1

1 satsuma, peeled then chopped (optional)

How to create your Sunshine lolly:

• Finely grate the carrots and place in the middle of a clean tea towel. Gather up the towel, and squeeze the carrot juice into a jug, discarding the pulp. Add the orange juice and top up with a little cold water if needed to make up 360ml liquid. Stir in the orange zest and satsuma pieces, if using. Pour into lolly moulds and freeze overnight.

Watermelon lollies – The classically fruity taste of summer juicy watermelon is exactly what we’re craving on these hotter days! With these refreshing watermelon and kiwi lollies, you’ll be feeling fresh and fruity in no time while getting a dose of vitamin C.

What you’ll need:

1 Small watermelon

3 Kiwis

How to create your Watermelon lolly:

• Halve 1 small watermelon and scoop the flesh out of one half into a bowl (you need about 375-400g). Pick out any black seeds. Purée the flesh using a hand blender or in a liquidiser. Fill ice lolly moulds three-quarters full with the purée, push the sticks in if you are using them, and freeze for at least 3 hrs, or overnight. Tip any remaining purée into an ice cube tray and freeze it.
• Peel 3 kiwis and cut the green flesh away from the white core, discarding the core. Purée the flesh. Add a layer of about 4-5mm to the top of each lolly and refreeze for 1 hr. Add some green food colouring to the rest of the purée to darken it to the same colour as the watermelon rind. Pour a very thin layer onto the top of each lolly and freeze until you want to eat them.

Adult Boozy Ice Lollies:

Pimm’s ice lollies – A staple summer tipple turned classy cooler. This jam packed boozy strawberry, cucumber and mint lolly is the sun bathing essential we all need.

What you’ll need:

500g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthways

10 mint leaves

75ml Pimm’s

200ml lemonade

100g golden caster sugar

20 thin slices of cucumber, cut into quarters

How to create your Pimm’s lolly:

• Put the strawberries and mint leaves in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Add the Pimm’s, lemonade and sugar, stirring together until combined and the sugar is dissolved.
• Divide the cucumber pieces between a 10 x 80ml ice lolly mould (see below for where to buy) and pour over the strawberry mixture, dividing equally between the cavities. Put the mould in the freezer and chill for 30-45 mins or until just starting to freeze. Insert lolly sticks (see below for where to buy) and leave to freeze for at least 4 hrs or until frozen solid.
• To remove the ice lollies, dip the mould in hot water for a few seconds, then carefully remove the lollies to serve.

Gin & tonic ice lollies – An ice cool twist on your gin & tonic staple. A proper grown up treat that’ll last in the freezer for up to two months. It’s definitely worth creating a batch for the incoming chill summer afternoons we think!

What you’ll need:

6 slices of cucumber

6 mint leaves

75ml gin

250ml tonic

50g caster sugar

How to create your Gin & Tonic lolly:

• Take a six-hole lolly mould and push a cucumber slice and a mint leaf into each one. In a jug, stir the gin, tonic and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the tonic loses its fizz. Divide between the moulds, push in the lolly sticks and freeze for at least 4 hrs, or preferably overnight.