Mini Pops

These are really refreshing and great for a hot day or party. Mini Pops look and taste fantastic, are so easy to make and make a great, healthier version to shop bought ice lollies.

Ingredients

Juice Mini Pop
1 mango
2 oranges (juice from)
1 passion fruit
1 banana
1 kiwi
2 strawberries
30g blueberries

Milk Mini Pop
400ml semi skimmed milk
2 bananas
200g strawberries

Yoghurt Mini Pop
450ml Greek style coconut yoghurt
Either 1 one large mango, or 1 small pineapple

Equipment

Chopping board
Vegetable knife
Food processor
Juice squeezer
Measuring jug
Medium bowl
Mixing spoon
Baking tray
Fork
Teaspoon
Small plastic cups (that will hold 30ml)
Plastic lollipop sticks

Instructions

Juice Mini Pops

1. On a clean, dry chopping board, cut the mango into three sections, carefully cutting around either side of the stone. Remove the skin and stone of the mango, roughly chop and add to a food processor.
2. Cut the orange in half, remove the juice with the juice squeezer and add to the food processor. Blend mango and orange juice together until smooth and tip into a large measuring jug.
3. Chop the banana, kiwi, strawberries and blueberries into small pieces and place in a bowl.
4. Cut open the passion fruit, spoon out the seeds and add to the chopped fruit mixture and stir.
5. Layout 20 plastic cups onto a baking tray and pour 30ml of the mixture into each cup.
6. Add a plastic lollipop stick into each cup and then place into the freezer. These need to be left for a minimum of 3 hours so they come out in one piece

Milk Pop

1. Peel the banana and remove the stalks of the strawberries.
2. Roughly chop the banana and strawberries and then either mash with a fork or blend in a food processor.
3. Add the milk and then mash/blend again and poor into a measuring jug.
4. Layout 20 plastic cups onto a baking tray and pour 30ml of the mixture into each cup.
5. Add a plastic lollipop stick into each cup and then place them into the freezer. These need to be left for a minimum of 3 hours so they come out in one piece. To get the lollipop sticks to stand up straight, freeze Milk Mini Pops for 30 minutes and then add the sticks and put them back into the freezer.

Yoghurt Mini Pop

1. If you are using mango, peel, destone and finely chop. If you are using pineapple, peel, remove the core and finely chop.
2. Layout 20 plastic cups onto a baking tray and pour 30ml of the mixture into each cup.
3. Add 2 x 5ml spoons of the chopped up fruit mixture into the bottom of each cup.
4. Add 20ml coconut yoghurt into each cup and stir to make sure the fruit has a coating of yoghurt. Add a plastic lollipop stick into each cup and then place in the freezer. These need to be left for a minimum of 3 hours so they come out in one piece.

Skills used include:
Measuring, washing, chopping, mixing, squeezing and mashing.

Top Tips

• To help remove the frozen mini pop, dip the outside of the plastic glass into a bowl of hot water and it will pull out easily in one piece.
• Make sure you use really ripe fruit for the best flavour.

Something to try next time

• For a dairy free alternative, make them with soya milk or yoghurt.
• Use natural Greek style yogurt and add 1 x 5ml vanilla flavouring to make your own flavoured yoghurt.
• Use 10 passion fruits in your Yoghurt Mini Pops instead of the mango or pineapple to add some vibrant colour.

Prepare now, eat later

• These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep in a sealed container to avoid freezer burn.

Get more from your food

• These are a great way to use up leftover fruit and yoghurt.