Mango Granita and Pineapple Creamsicles

A few weeks ago my kids asked me to buy some popsicles but, unfortunately, in today's grocery stores, a popsicle that is made of pure ingredients is extremely hard to find. (if you've found one, let me know!) Every time a new "natural or organic" frozen dessert comes out I anxiously turn the box around to read the ingredients and am always disappointed. Frozen desserts are filled with high fructose corn syrup, colorings, additives and preservatives and even the ones that say "all natural" are never quite what they claim to be. So, a few weeks ago I started playing around in the kitchen and came up with a pineapple creamsicle that really should be called a "frozen pina colada". Seriously, if you add a little rum to the mixture you will have the perfect frozen pina colada on a stick. It is simple enough recipe that even a kids could could mix it together (sans the rum, of course) and delicious enough that you could serve it to friends after a summer b-b-que.


The other recipe sort of came by default. I absolutely adore mango and can't really get enough of it in the summer so I wanted to create a mango popsicle but, as I came to find out, the mango never really froze as hard as it needed to cling to the popsicle stick but if the mixture is poured into an bowl and frozen it makes a great creamy granita!




Pineapple Creamsicle
makes approximately 6 (4oz.) popsicles

1 cup pineapple, cut into chunks
1 cup coconut milk (I prefer thai kitchens)
1/4 cup maple syrup

Puree the pineapple in a blender or food processor until it is mostly smooth with a bit of chunkiness. Add the cream of coconut and maple syrup and pulse a few times. Pour the mixture directly into popsicle molds and place in the freezer. Freeze for about 3-4 hours. (if you want to add the rum, add about 1/3 cup and the recipe will yield 8 popsicles.)


Creamy Mango Granita
Serves 4

1 cup mango, pureed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup maple syrup

Whisk all of the ingredients until combined and pour into a 8x8 glass dish. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.