Keen to keep it cool this season? Sjaan van der Ploeg has the perfect solution: spring fruit popsicles.  

Cucumber mint cooler 

Makes 6-8 

We used plastic cups to make these pops, but you can also use cleaned and dried mini yoghurt containers. For an adult version, add a tiny splash of white rum or vodka to make mojito lollies! 

Ingredients 

2 limes or 1 lemon, zested and juiced 
1 ½ large cucumbers, chopped 
2 cups water 2 punnets (20g each) mint, leaves picked 
½ cup sugar  

Method

1. Add ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth. 
2. Divide mixture between 6-8 plastic cups (or use lolly moulds) and freeze for 1 hour before securing a wooden popsicle stick in each lolly. 
3. Freeze overnight. 
4. Run a warm cloth on the outside of the cups, unmould and serve immediately. 

Good idea
If you have popsicle moulds without the attachable stick holders, freeze the popsicles for 1 hour before inserting wooden sticks into the middle of each one. This way, the semi-frozen mixture holds the sticks in place, and they don’t sink to the side or bottom. You can also tape a grid of Sellotape over moulds to keep your sticks upright.

Citrus berry blast 

Makes 10 

Instead of orange juice, add cranberry or mixed berry juice for a full berry flavour. 

Ingredients 

250g fresh or frozen mixed berries (try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) 
1/4 cup sugar 
1 lemon, juiced 
1 ½ cups orange juice  

Method

1. Place berries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot over medium heat. 
2. Cook berries while stirring for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture turns a jammy consistency. Set aside to cool slightly. 
3. Place berry compote and orange juice in a blender, blitz until smooth. 
4. Decant mixture into two 5-cavity popsicle moulds and insert a wooden popsicle stick into each one. 
5. Freeze for 6 hours, preferably overnight, before serving. 

Cook’s note
We used frozen berries because they release more vibrant colours and slightly more juice.

 

Roasted banana granola bars 

Makes 9 

You don’t need specific moulds to make popsicles, a loaf tray will do just fine! 

Ingredients 

4 bananas, sliced 
¼ cup brown sugar
3 cups full-cream yoghurt 
¼ cup honey, plus 
2 Tbsp for coating 
1 cup granola, lightly toasted  

For the blueberry compote 

125g frozen blueberries
¼ cup sugar 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Line a tray with baking paper, toss bananas in sugar and arrange in an even layer on tray. 
3. Roast bananas for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and caramelised. 
4. Pack roasted bananas into a plastic bag (along with any caramel from the tray) and freeze completely. 
5. 5. Add frozen bananas, yoghurt and ¼ cup of honey to a blender and blitz until smooth. 6. Heat remaining honey for a few seconds, then toss with granola to coat. 
6. Line a loaf tin with baking paper or plastic wrap. Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin and freeze for two hours before sprinkling granola over, pressing down to secure in the frozen yoghurt. 
7. Insert 6-8 popsicle sticks in a line along the middle of the tin, then return to the freezer for another 4 hours. 
8. Slice frozen yoghurt into bars and carefully remove with the assistance of a spatula or knife. 

Good idea
To avoid the granola sinking into the popsicle, the yoghurt needs to be semi-solid. Freeze mixture for a few hours until semi-frozen. Alternatively, freeze overnight, then remove for 30 minutes to thaw the surface slightly. Once the yoghurt has thawed, sprinkle over granola and press down to secure. Freeze for an hour before slicing and serving.

Rooibos iced tea 

Makes 12 

The rooibos syrup sinks to the bottom of the moulds to reveal a lovely, sticky lollipop top when removed. 

Ingredients 

For the rooibos syrup  

5 rooibos teabags 
2 cups water 
½ cup caster sugar  

1 lime, zested 
1 – 1 ½ cups rooibos-flavoured iced tea
½ peach or lemon, thinly sliced  

Method

1. Place syrup ingredients into a pot over medium heat. 
2. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for 5 minutes before removing the tea bags. 
3. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes until reduced by half and slightly thickened. Stir through lime zest and set aside. 
4. Fill two 6-cavity popsicle moulds 3/4 of the way with iced tea and freeze for 1 hour. 
5. 5. Break the icy surface on partially frozen lollies and add 2 slices of peach or lemon, followed by the rooibos syrup until filled to the top. 
6. Secure popsicle sticks onto the moulds. Return to the freezer for another 6 hours, or preferably overnight. 
7. Remove moulds from the freezer and run a warm cloth along the outside to unmould. Serve immediately. 

Cook’s note
Use any flavour iced tea, then make a syrup using the same tea flavour as your drink. 

 

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg  

Photographs: Zhann Solomons