Popsicles with a twist-Alcohol, Tea, & Chili!?

From "Ice Pops" by Shelly Kaldunski

Orange-blackberry sangria ice pops.

Recently we wrote about booze-infused cupcakes for an alternative to traditional cupcakes for a wedding shower-well now you can have your booze and lick it too! (Okay, some have alcohol but some don't.) Apparently adult popsicles are becoming a new trend. While most of us think of popsicles we think of our childhood days with a cherry pop in the hot summer day while drinking juice outside in the backyard but today's popsicles can come in a wide variety of flavors like Coconut Curry Banana Pops With Salted Macadamia Nut with unusual ingredients like corn, chocolate, ancho chili, cinnamon, or chai tea.  Very different from the ones we find in the supermarket.

How refreshing would these be on a hot summer day-we're talking the perfect dessert for a bridal shower in Atlanta or Houston. Not to mention that with the wide variety of recipes, it's easy to find one (or three) that complement the other food you'll be serving. For example, Vietnamese Coffee Popsicles would be nice for a coffee & tea tasting or brunch.  For more recipes, go here or check out the book Pops: Icy Treats for Everyone.

Recipe:  Orange-Blackberry Sangria Ice Pops

Makes 12 to 14 servings

2 oranges

750-ml bottle light, dry,

   fruity red wine such as

   Rioja or Beaujolais

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons

   sugar

1 small tart green apple

   such as Granny Smith,

   peeled, cored, and cut

   into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup blackberries

Pinch of salt

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 5 wide strips of zest from 1 orange. Juice the fruit and strain into a measuring cup. You should have 1/3 cup. Cut the top and bottom from the other orange. Set the orange upright and, following the contour of the fruit, cut off the peel, pith and membrane. Holding the orange over a bowl, cut along each side of the membranes between the sections. Let the sections fall into the bowl along with any juice. Cut the sections into 1/2-inch pieces. Strain the juice into the measuring cup or reserve for another use.

2. Pour the wine into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, orange juice, orange zest, orange pieces, apple pieces, blackberries, and salt. Pour in 6 tablespoons water. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

3. If using conventional ice pop molds, divide the mixture evenly among the molds, ensuring that each has about the same amount of fruit. Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. If using sticks, insert them in the molds when the pops are partially frozen, after about 1 hour, then freeze until firm, at least 3 more hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, follow the manufacturer's instructions to fill the molds and freeze the pops.

- From Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski

Per serving (based on 14): 82 calories, trace protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, trace fat, no cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.