Peach popsicles
Rory says: “The issue with making homemade popsicles used to be the difficulty of getting the moulds and sticks, but that no longer seems to be a problem now that every kitchen shop in the country sells them. There is something whimsical about eating an ice off a stick, and not just for younger people, as adults find them fun as well. When you combine the element of fun with something that is also really delicious, then you are on to a winner. Do buy your peaches a few days ahead to ensure that they are beautifully ripe and sweet. I usually turn out the popsicles early in the day, wrap them in squares of parchment paper and return them to the freezer. The last thing you want to do is to have to rush this while surrounded by impatient children – and adults too, for that matter! To make these into a more grown-up dessert you could serve them alongside glasses of sparkling wine for adults to dip the lollies into – delicious”
Makes 10-12 Ingredients 700g ripe peaches 175g caster sugar 3 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1 Begin by peeling the peaches. With a small sharp knife, make a small cross in the top and bottom of the peaches and place in a deep bowl. Pour over boiling water and keep them immersed for 10 seconds. Strain immediately and cool in a bowl of cold water for a minute or two. Drain again and peel off the skins, then slice the flesh off the stones.
2 Discard the stones and place the flesh in a blender with the sugar and lemon juice. Purée until the fruit is smooth and silky and the sugar has dissolved. Fill into your popsicle moulds, pop a stick into the middle and freeze until completely frozen.
3 To serve, remove the popsicles from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature until the popsicles slide easily out of the moulds. Keep a close eye on them to get the timing just right so that they don’t become too soft. At this point I wrap the popsicles in small squares of parchment paper and refreeze them, ready for quick and easy serving later. Enjoy!