Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Popsicles

• 1 lb. strawberries, hulled and minced
• 3⁄4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3 stalks rhubarb, trimmed and minced
• 4 oz. plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
• 1⁄2 cup honey, preferably orange blossom

Bring strawberries, juice, salt, and rhubarb to a simmer in a 4-qt. saucepan; cook until fruit begins to break down, 3–4 minutes. Let cool and, using a slotted spoon, transfer 1⁄2cup fruit to a bowl. Transfer remaining fruit mixture to a blender; add yogurt and honey and purée until smooth. Stir in reserved fruit; divide mixture between individual ice-pop molds. Freeze 1 hour, then insert a popsicle stick into each mold; freeze until pops are solid, about 3 hours more. To release ice pops from molds, briefly run the bottom of the molds under warm water.

Yield: 12 pops.

VERDICT: These turned out great--more strawberry than rhubarb, but good flavor and texture.  I also like the relatively simple ingredients and using up some rhubarb.  Keep!

Frozen Yogurt Ice Pops with Blackberries

• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups plain
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups fresh blackberries 

Rinse the lemon, then peel it. (This recipe uses only the peel, so save the lemon for a different use.) 

 

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. 

 

Add the lemon peel, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, then refrigerate until chilled.

Add the yogurt and honey to the chilled syrup and stir until thoroughly combined. Put a bit of the yogurt mixture into each of the molds, to a height of about 3/4 inch. Freeze until the mixture begins to set, about 40 minutes.

If the blackberries are big, cut them in half. Divide the blackberries among the molds, then pour in the remaining yogurt mixture, dividing it evenly among the molds.

If using conventional molds, snap on the lid and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (45 minutes to 1 hour), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, gently fold the blackberries into the yogurt prior to filling the molds and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Serves 8-10.

VERDICT:  I pureed the blackberries with a little powdered sugar, as the recipe suggested I could, then swirled the puree into the yogurt mixture.  These genuinely taste like a treat, while being fairly good for you.  Keep! 

Rhubarb Strawberry Compote

• 3 cups rhubarb (4 large stalks), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound frozen or fresh strawberries
• 6 tablespoons raw (turbinado) sugar
• Pinch salt
• Peel from 1/2 large navel orange
• 3 tablespoons rosé wine

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and add 1/4 cup water. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook gently, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if the mixture seems too dry. You want the fruit to cook through and soften without completely losing its texture.

Cool and serve over yogurt or ricotta, with ice cream, or on its own.

Yield: about 2 cups

VERDICT:  I used lemon peel, frozen strawberries and some leftover white wine.  It was fine, but not better than any of the many other strawberry-rhubarb sauces I have made.  Toss.

Ultimate Malted Brownie Sundae

    •    2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
    •    3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) malted-milk powder
    •    1/2 cup malt balls, coarsely crushed, plus more for garnish
    •    Malted Brownies (below)
    •    Chocolate Sauce (below)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the ice cream, malted-milk powder, and crushed malt balls. Mix until blended, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to an airtight container, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours, or overnight.

Just before serving, cut brownies into 24 rectangles, making four even columns and six even rows.
Assemble sundaes: Divide half of the ice cream evenly among eight serving dishes. Top each with a brownie, then with another ice cream layer. Garnish each with two more brownies. Drizzle with chocolate sauce; sprinkle with crushed malt balls.

Malted Brownies
    •    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
    •    1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
    •    10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    •    1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) malted-milk powder
    •    1 cup (about 4 ounces) malt balls, coarsely crushed
    •    1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
    •    3 large eggs
    •    1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; set aside. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted-milk powder, and malt balls; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat sugar and eggs until thickened and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and vanilla; mix to combine, about 30 seconds more. Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer brownies to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Sauce
    •    14 ounces (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
    •    2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
    •    2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    •    3/4 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Warm gently over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Allow sauce to cool slightly before serving.

Serves 8.

VERDICT: My god.  I did not fully comprehend that this was three separate recipes until I'd already committed to ingredients.  The brownies were a complete disaster--hardened to the point that no spoon could puncture them on the bottom, but otherwise raw.  The sauce was no better than any other sauce despite having two kinds of chocolate and two different dairy products.  The ice cream was good, but if I want a mix-in ice cream, Ben and Jerry will do just fine.  Triple toss.

Classic from the Vault: Ice Cream Treasures

• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) chocolate-covered English toffee candy bars (such as Heath), crushed
• 8 cups vanilla reduced-fat ice cream (such as Healthy Choice), softened
• 4 cups crispy rice cereal squares, crushed (such as Rice Chex)
• 2 cups whole-grain toasted oat cereal (such as Cheerios)
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Stir crushed candy into ice cream. Cover and freeze until ready to use.

2. Combine cereals, brown sugar, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Press half of cereal mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

3. Let ice cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until softened. Spread softened ice cream mixture over cereal mixture; top evenly with remaining cereal mixture. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

VERDICT: This is always good, even though it seems like it shouldn't be. I will never, never throw it away.