Last week I got these super cool ice pop moulds, and I can tell you they are so much fun. I started playing with different seasonal fruit combos when these melon ice pops happened! Their taste surprised me so much that I had to share it with you! Even my nephew (1,5 years old) seemed to enjoy them as he ate one at the speed of lightning.
So, meet melon ice pops, your new summer treat! Low in calories, without added sugar and super refreshing; plus, you only need 3 ingredients to make them. Let’s get started!
What will you need to make these melon ice pops?
Melon: “Melon” refers to a big group of plants from the Cucurbitaceae family, all giving sweet, fleshly fruits we enjoy all summer long. The variety I will be using for this recipe is Cantaloupe, the one most commonly found in Croatia.
For perfect melon ice pops, you want an extremely ripe Cantaloupe with deep orange flesh bursting with juices. Avoid those hard and bland Cantaloupes, often found in big supermarkets, as they won’t give you a treat to remember.
If you want to use another variety, here is a great guide to give you more insight into the diversity of melons, which might help you find the best substitute for Cantaloupes.
Almond butter: Melon pairs perfectly with almonds, as you are about to see for yourself. Almond butter makes these melon ice pops more complex in flavour and improves the texture, making them slightly less watery.
Mint: For these melon ice pops, you will need fresh mint leaves with the most potent flavour and aroma.
How to cut melon?
Cut the tops of your melon. Then, cut the melon in half lengthwise (1) and spoon the seeds from the middle of the pulp (2). Cut the half lengthwise into quarters (3) and divide each quarter into three even-sized wedges. Place the knife flat towards the board and slice the pulp of each wedge, leaving the peel behind (4). I like to cut the wedge in half before removing the peel. It makes the process easier and safer for your fingers.
How to make melon ice pops?
Making these melon ice pops is extremely easy and fun. Using only three ingredients and ten minutes of your time, you can prepare delicious, refreshing treats everyone in your family will love, even the young ones.
Combine the cut melon with almond butter and mint leaves in the blender cup. Blend the mixture on high speed for about a minute until smooth.
Place your ice pop mould on a tray that fits your freezer drawer. You can also use a piece of cardboard or a cutting board. It will allow you to transfer the mould into your freezer without spilling the mixture.
Fill up your mould with the prepared mixture and insert a wooden stick. Since the mixture is quite liquid, insert the wooden stick immediately after filling each mould. Otherwise, the mixture will start leaking out of the gap for the wooden stick.
Once you’ve filled up your ice pop moulds, place them in your freezer drawer. The ice pops will freeze in about three hours, but leaving them to set overnight is best.
To free up some space in the freezer, once set, you can place your melon ice pops in a reusable plastic bag, separating the layers with baking paper to prevent them from sticking to one another.
