Creamy Orange Pops

One of the best ways to enjoy fruit has to be in a frozen treat!

There’s no shortage of ideas when it comes to the possibilities of fruit and fruit juice combinations  captured in a frozen state.

Last summer the combination of fragrant sweet nectarines and ripe strawberries made some delicious Strawberry Nectarine Popsicles and I was ready to make them once again this week.

I should know better by now not to go flipping through past issues of food magazines but my curiosity often gets the better of me. I can’t resist trying a recipe that comes with a delicious full colour picture and ingredients that are easy to get a hold of.  This was the case when I came across a recipe for Creamy Orange Pops...the strawberries and nectarines will have to wait.

Although oranges are more a winter fruit there’s no reason they can’t be enjoyed any time of the year especially when available as a convenient frozen juice concentrate.  This recipe is too easy not to give it a try, natural ingredients, minimal sugar and a few easy steps.

Waiting for them to freeze is the hard part!

Creamy Orange Pops
1 295 ml can frozen orange concentrate
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups full fat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. In a small saucepan combine concentrate and sugar over medium-low heat.
2. Cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in yogurt and vanilla.
4. Pour into ten 3 ounce pop molds and insert sticks.
5. Freeze until solid, about 6 hours or up to one week.Briefly run molds under hot water to release pops.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• I filled six 4 ounce molds instead and had a little extra to fill 3 baby size molds for the sweet babies in my life!
• The recipe calls for full fat yogurt, in error I bought one percent but they were wonderfully creamy.  I will have to try making them again to experience the texture of full fat yogurt.
• When stirring in the yogurt it became difficult to blend in the last few lumps, nothing a few seconds with a hand blender didn't take care of.
• I used natural vanilla yogurt and omitted the vanilla extract.
• I like to use wooden popsicle sticks.  Placing 2 strips of masking tape over the molds will be sure to hold the sticks until mixture freezes
• I’m sure this recipe will work with any flavour of fruit juice concentrate.

A little arts and crafts project makes for less sticky fingers…

These are truffle paper cups, I happened to have the two different sizes and coordinating colours.
Just a little smear of glue will keep the cups together, once they are glued together, make a small slit on the base with a scissors then insert on stick under the pop. Totally optional but will help catch any drips.  Also makes a cute presentation.