Sparkle Kitchen: Roasted Blueberry Popsicles
In this week's Junkyard Tales story, “Fredland the Moose,” it's summer, and the junkyard is hot — too hot to stay home. So, on the steamiest summer mornings, the junkyard animals take a “holiday” visit to the nearby lake with its hills of blueberry bushes.
One such morning, the unfortunate happens: Ben Thompson gets lost in the woods. It takes the kindness of a friendly—and rather large—forest animal to help the town cat find his way back to his friends.
From the title of this story, you can probably guess at the species of that rather large animal. But, large or small, I think every friend who stops by in the summer should be greeted with one of these icy cool, blueberry popsicles.
While it may not seem worth the trouble (and heated kitchen) to roast the blueberries, as I do in the recipe below, there's a reason roasted fruit is quickly becoming a foodie trend.
By roasting the berries their natural sugars are concentrated, which means you don't have to use as much additional sugar to get a satisfying popsicle. While you do have to use a few more berries than you ordinarily might, that's a much better problem to have. After all, no one says to their kids, “Gosh, I wish you guys would eat less fruit!”
Roast the berries in the morning while your kitchen is still cool, then pop your popsicles into the freezer to pull out as a surprise in the heat of the afternoon, perhaps in conjunction with a sprinkler run. It'll be like a blueberry holiday in your very own backyard!
Roasted Blueberry Popsicles
(Makes 4-5 pops)
Ingredients
1 dry pint blueberries (about ½ pound)
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey (optional)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the blueberries well, then spread them into a single layer on a parchment covered, rimmed baking sheet. Roast the berries for about 25 minutes, or until they're starting to pop and release their juices. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
When the berries are no longer blistering hot, topple them into a large mixing bowl along with the Greek yogurt. Combine the two well, then give the mixture a taste. Add a few tablespoons of honey if you feel it's necessary, then spoon the mixture into popsicle molds or—in a pinch—an ice cube try. Let the pops freeze for at least 4 hours to get them good and solid, then enjoy!
About the Author
Meryl Carver-Allmond
The Sparkle Kitchen Series is created by Meryl Carver-Allmond.
Meryl lives in a hundred-year-old house near the prairie with her sweet husband, two preschoolers, one puppy, one gecko, and about ten chickens. While she's been writing since she could pick up a pen, in recent years she's discovered the joy of photography, too. She feels lucky to be able to combine those skills, along with a third passion — showing people that cooking for themselves can be healthy and fun — in her Sparkle Kitchen posts.
