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Watermelon & Parsley Pops
[Photograph: Jennifer May]
Watermelon is one of those great summer fruits that works perfectly in both sweet and savory dishes. Tossed with some mint and feta, it makes a bang up salad; it's also great sprinkled with a bit of salt or chile for a hot 'n sweet snack. And it's this versatility that makes these Watermelon & Parsley Pops from People's Pops such a great combination of summery flavors.
Reprinted with permission from People's Pops by David Carrell, Joel Horowitz and Nathalie Jordi. Copyright © 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.
About This Recipe
| Yield: | makes 10 pops |
| Active time: | 10 minutes |
| Total time: | 10 minutes plus 4 to 5 hours freezing time |
| This recipe appears in: | Bake the Book: Watermelon & Parsley Pops |
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 pounds whole watermelon (about 1/2 of a bowling ball–sized watermelon)
- 3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) simple syrup (recipe follows), or more if needed
- 20 leaves fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Simple Syrup
- 2/3 cup (5 ounces) organic cane sugar
- 2/3 cup (5 fluid ounces) water
Procedures
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1
For the Simple Syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is transparent. Turn off the heat and let cool. Add any spices before the mixture starts to simmer; add any herbs only after you’ve turned off the heat. Store plain and infused syrups in sealed containers in the fridge.
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2
For the pops: Peel and coarsely chop the watermelon. You should have about a quart of watermelon pieces. Purée the watermelon, leaving chunks if you like, as long as they’re small enough to pour into the molds. You should have about 21/4 cups (18 fl oz) of purée.
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3
Transfer the puréed watermelon to a bowl or measuring pitcher with a pouring spout. Mix the simple syrup into the puréed watermelon until it tastes quite sweet. Chop the parsley very finely and add it to the mixture.
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4
Pour the mixture into your ice pop molds, leaving a little bit of room at the top for the mixture to expand. Insert sticks and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. Unmold and transfer to plastic bags for storage or serve at once.
