Cherry Coconut Ice Pops Food

COCONUT, CHERRY AND VANILLA BEAN ICE POPS

Steps:

• Bring the cherries, maple syrup, cinnamon and almond extract to a simmer in a small pot over high heat. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cherries are juicy and soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and set aside.
• In another small-to-medium pot, bring the coconut milk and vanilla bean seeds and pods to a simmer over high heat, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the honey and vanilla extract. Remove and reserve the vanilla bean pod. Pour the mixture into a pitcher or measuring jug and set aside.
• Place a strainer over the blender jar. Add the cooked cherries, and press out the juice. Add 1/3 of the cherry pulp and 1 cup of the coconut milk mixture, and blend until smooth. You should have about 2 cups of liquid. Refrigerate. Divide the remaining coconut milk mixture among ice pop molds, and place them in the freezer until semifrozen, about 1 hour. Remove them from the freezer, and divide the remaining cherry pulp among the molds. Top with the blended cherry-coconut mixture, place the lids on top, add sticks and freeze until solid, at least 8 hours.
• To remove the ice pops, dip the molds in warm water for a few seconds, then carefully pull on the sticks to release.

COCONUT POPS

Steps:

• Puree a 14-ounce can of coconut milk with the grated zest of 1 lime, the juice of 2 limes, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup shredded coconut. Pour into small popsicle molds or 3-ounce paper cups; insert wooden popsicle sticks. Freeze several hours, or until firm.

CHERRY-COCONUT ICE POPS

Steps:

• Whisk the yogurt with the coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium bowl until the homogeneous and smooth. Set aside.
• Combine the cherries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cherries start to break down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash the cherries and continue cooking until the cherries have thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Place a tablespoon of the yogurt mixture in each cavity of a ten (3- to 4-ounce) cavity ice pop mold. Add a tablespoon of the cherries to each. Top each with another tablespoon of the yogurt. Continue alternating until the cavities are nearly full. Cover the mold and insert the ice pop sticks. Freeze until frozen, at least 6 hours.
• Run the mold under water to loosen the ice pops. Remove the ice pops and enjoy immediately or freeze them in an airtight container with parchment paper separating each row of pops (see Cook's Note).

COCONUT ICE POPS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix coconut milk, half-and-half and sugar. Heat over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in coconut extract and coconut. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Pour coconut mixture evenly into molds or cups. Cover with foil; place in freezer about 25 minutes or until partially frozen. Insert craft stick through foil into each pop. Freeze 8 hours or until firm. To serve, remove pops from molds or peel off paper cups.