Summer

Blackberry, Rosemary, and Yogurt Ice Pops

August  4, 2011
4.7
3 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 hours
  • Cook time 35 minutes
  • Makes 6 popsicles
Author Notes

Kids like to witness transformation, which is why they enjoy baking so much. Blobs of dough turn into round cookies. And batters rise to lofty cakes. So when I'm cooking with my kids, I try to focus on recipes that will completely change from start to finish.

But I was not about to turn on the oven last weekend; it was the freezer's turn in the spotlight. Mission: popsicles. First a layer of blackberry and blueberry puree, sweetened with rosemary syrup (leftover from piccantedolce's Boozy Watermelon Rosemary Lemonade). After a few hours in the freezer, we topped the fruit with a layer of yogurt sweetened with vanilla sugar. A few hours more and we had torpedo-shaped treats. And the three of us sat on the floor of the magical kitchen, eating our popsicles. —Amanda Hesser

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups blackberries
  • 1 cup Greek or European-style whole milk yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Directions
  1. Combine the rosemary, sugar, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan now and then to help dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, then let cool for 20 minutes.
  2. Pile the berries into a medium saucepan and add a splash of water (2 tablespoons if you must measure!). Set over medium heat and crush the berries with a potato masher as the pan heats. You want the heat to help the berries juice, but you don't want to cook the berries.
  3. Once the berries begin to weep juice and are mostly crushed, scoop the berry goop into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press the berries with the back of a spoon until all you're left with is pulp; throw away this pulp. Add the rosemary syrup a tablespoon at a time to the berry puree, until it's sweetened to your liking. Fill 6 popsicle molds halfway with this berry puree. Freeze until slightly firmer than slush, about 3 hours.
  4. Mix together the yogurt and vanilla sugar (or sugar and vanilla extract), sweetening it as much as you want. Fill up the top halves of the popsicle molds with this mixture. Press the popsicle sticks into the center. Freeze until very firm. To unmold, suspend the popsicle molds in a bowl of hot water, just until the popsicles are loosened.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

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Amanda Hesser

Recipe by: Amanda Hesser

Before starting Food52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addison.

26 Reviews

Deborah S. July 27, 2015
Sounds great... Just prepared my Rosemary syrup. Only change I'll make is keeping the pulp and ditching the seeds.
 
Miachel P. May 30, 2014
Love this!
 
Annabelle July 8, 2013
I didn't have rosemary, so I used linden blossoms instead which worked out beautifully.
 
Hiromi M. July 2, 2013
Love the colors! I will replace sugar with raw honey and see how they turn out...
 
Amanda H. July 2, 2013
Let us know!
 
Tashipluto July 1, 2013
I made these with freshly picked mulberries and vanilla yogurt and stuck them in the freezer overnight. They disappeared by noon! Yum!
 
Amanda H. July 1, 2013
Just as they should! I bet they were great with mulberries.
 
NYanne June 26, 2013
2 questions: is vanilla sugar something you buy or make? Are popsicle molds easy to find?
 
Jill S. June 26, 2013
Can you make these with Vanilla Yogurt? I have a big container that we won't use by expiration date. They look great!
 
Amanda H. June 26, 2013
Yes, just skip the vanilla sugar.
 
Jamey May 29, 2013
I hate to buy popsicle molds when I'll seldom use them, could you just put the ingredients in a pan and freeze?
 
Amanda H. May 29, 2013
You could yes -- another method would be to buy small paper cups and use them as popsicle molds.
 
snideproject June 26, 2013
Or use an icecube tray! Wrap tightly with saran wrap, then poke wooden popsicle sticks thru the plastic into each one, they'll stay in place while freezing.
 
Amanda H. June 26, 2013
Great idea!
 
nhayley August 22, 2012
Can you make it with low or no fat Greek yogurt?
 
Amanda H. August 22, 2012
I haven't tried this -- seems worth experimenting. Might give it a grainier texture though. Let me know what happens!
 
[email protected] September 11, 2011
could you swirl the mixtures instead of layering them?
 
Amanda H. September 11, 2011
Absolutely -- go for it!
 
cindy_perkins_marlow September 6, 2011
You had me at the rosemary infused simple syrup...
 
Amanda H. September 11, 2011
:)
 
Dot1 August 12, 2011
No kids around - but I'm not gonna let that stop me from making these yummy looking, refreshing treats! Can't wait!!
 
Amanda H. August 12, 2011
Good! And I agree -- they're as much an adult treat as one for kids.
 
TXDjinn August 6, 2011
QQ - Amanda, I'm violently allergic to Blueberries, can you substitute raspberries for them?
 
Amanda H. August 6, 2011
Yes, sure!
 
hardlikearmour August 5, 2011
What a fun project! These sound yummy and look gorgeous.
 
TiggyBee August 5, 2011
I just made blueberry popsicles with my sweet little Nephews this last weekend!! Now, If i could only get my hands on that boozy watermelon lemonade, my life would be perfect!