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Coconut Rainbow Popsicles

Alana Kysar

This week has been positively blissful. Yesterday, I started the day with a pumpkin enzyme mask that made my face smell like Thanksgiving and ended it by painting my nails. It all felt very girly and wonderful. The day before that was filled with lots of laundry and household chores, but somehow I was into it? Maybe it's because I spent Sunday and Monday with some of my favorite ladies soaking up the farmers market, making brunch things, drinking mimosas, and makin' popsicles 'cuz it's #popsicleweek! That was all followed up by what Molly referred to as "bro-ing out" aka drinking beers, eating Chinese takeout, and watching game 7 of the NBA finals. And even though the outcome of the game wasn't what I had hoped for, not even close, Sunday was still golden. And Monday was just as lovely because after some computer work, we (Molly, Lily, and I) met back up and ate our popsicles. Billy aka Popsicle King and Adrianna the queen of all things cozy, came over to hang and were kind enough snap a couple shots of us and our rainbow pops melting in the triple digit Los Angeles heat. Later that day, I learned how not to (I failed miserably) make rice on the stovetop sans rice cooker and made some poke bowls with the crappy stovetop rice I did not crush. Zojirushi, I don't know what I'd do without you.

To say this week has been bigger, brighter, and way funnier than most others is an understatement. I love spending time in the kitchen, concocting and creating, but sharing that time with pals is kinda everything. There's something about working through a new recipe with a friend or hitting up the farmers market and marveling at all the gorgeous summer produce with a fellow foodie (ugh, what's a better word for that) that just can't be matched. These coconut rainbow pops embody all that joy. They started as a very loose idea in the form of a text a few weeks ago, and now here they are in all their coconutty glory. And I kinda feel like they're a little bit like Lily, Molly, and me... similar but very different and yet they all work really well together? Lily's vibrant fuschia layer features the amazing pluots Molly and I picked up from the farmers market and is packed with summer fruit flavor. Molly's rosy and cinnamony layer is warm, floral, and soothing. My layer ended up being herbaceous, citrusy, and almost savory. Together, they're an absolute dream, especially all dressed up with dark chocolate drizzles and toppings galore, but I love that they can each totally stand alone!

This is the third year I'm participating in #popsicleweek and it's still just as exciting as the first. Billy has really created one big, popsicle loving community and it's just the coolest thing ever to find new friends and new pops on the interwebs. Every year I look forward to discovering new blogs and bookmarking all the popsicle recipes. Right now I've got my eyes on Erin's London Fog Pops and Steph's Frozen Funfetti Cake Pops, but I really can't wait to see what else everyone comes up with! Happy #popsicleweek friends!

Coconut Rainbow Popsicles

Makes 10 3-ounce popsicle

INGREDIENTS

LEMONGRASS LAYER

  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar

  • 1/2 c. water

  • 2 lemongrass stalks, halved lengthwise and cut into 3 inch segments

  • Zest of one lemon or lime

  • 1 c. full-fat coconut milk

  • Pinch of salt

  • Pinch of matcha green tea powder (optional: for color)

PLOUT-VANILLA LAYER

ROSE-CINNAMON LAYER

TOPPINGS

  • 2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

  • 1 tbsp. virgin coconut oil

  • dried rose petals

  • crushed pistachios

  • flaky sea salt (like Maldon or Jacobsen)

  • toasted coconut flakes

TOOLS

  • Small saucepan

  • Wooden spoon

  • Measuring cups/spoons

  • Fine mesh sieve

  • Popsicle mold

  • 10 popsicle sticks

  • Parchment lined baking sheet

FIX

 

  1. Start by bruising the lemongrass using either a wooden spoon or a muddler. Combine the sugar, water, lemongrass, and zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until sugar is dissolved. This should take 1 to 2 minutes at most. Once sugar is dissolved, muddle the lemongrass with the syrup and reduce the heat to low. Cover pan and let steep for at least 20 minutes. 

  2. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve pressing as much juice from the lemongrass as possible (I used a French press 'cuz it was all I could find), then discard the lemongrass and zest. Let the syrup cool to room temperature then whisk into coconut milk, starting with a 1/4 cup and adding more syrup to taste. Add a pinch of salt and matcha powder (add just enough to create your desired color) and whisk to combine.

  3. Fill each mold one-third full with lemongrass mixture then freeze for 35 to 45 minutes or until just frozen.

  4. While freezing make the pluot-vanilla layer from Kale & Caramel.

  5. When lemongrass layer is frozen, top with the pluot-vanilla mixture, filling the mold till it's two-thirds full. Freeze for 35-45 minutes, inserting popsicle sticks after 20 minutes or so. 

  6. While pluot-vanilla layer is freezing, make the rose-cinnamon layer from my my name is yeh. 

  7. When second layer is frozen, top with rose-cinnamon layer, filling the last third of the molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, or until frozen solid. 

  8. Once popsicles are frozen solid, make the chocolate magic shell by heating chocolate and coconut in a microwave safe dish for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is totally melted. 

  9. Remove popsicles from molds, running mold under warm water if necessary to loosen, and set popsicles on a parchment lined baking sheet.

  10. Drizzle pops with chocolate magic shell and sprinkle on remaining toppings. Put sheet in freezer to let chocolate harden then serve and enjoy!