Red White and Blue Popsicles

Red, White and Blue Ice Pops
Makes 10 pops

Ingredients and Supplies

• 10-piece ice pop mold (No molds? Use paper cups with Popsicle sticks.)
• 10 wooden craft sticks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Juice of 2-3 limes
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup coconut milk

Directions

Make simple syrup. Combine sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Place pan on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let cool.

Make strawberry layer. Hull (cut the tops off) the strawberries and slice them into large chunks. In a blender, combine sliced strawberries, 1/4 cup simple syrup, and 1 tablespoon lime juice (or more to taste) and blend until smooth.  (Note: the flavors will be muddled when frozen, so make each layer slightly sweeter and tarter than you think it should be.) Fill each ice pop mold 1/3 of the way up with the strawberry mixture. Place in freezer for at least 1 hour before adding second layer.

Make coconut layer. In the blender, combine 1 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup simple syrup and 1 tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste. Blend until frothy, about 2 minutes. Distribute the coconut milk mixture evenly atop the strawberry layer, or until each mold is 2/3 full.  If using an ice pop mold, thread craft sticks through the top of the mold. If using cups, wait about 30-45 minutes before placing sticks in the mold to allow the coconut layer to begin to set up. Wait at least 1 hour before adding third layer.

Make blueberry layer. In the blender, combine 1 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup simple syrup and 1 tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste. Blend until smooth. Carefully remove the ice pop mold’s “lid” and fill the molds to the top with the blueberry mixture. Freeze until completely solid, a few hours or overnight.

Unmold and enjoy! To unmold the ice pops, run the cups or molds under hot water for a few seconds, then pull the pops out by the stick. Wrap with parchment paper and store in an airtight container.