Healthier & Homemade Chocolate Pops

Homemade ice pops! Is there anything better on hot Summer days? When everyone is sweltering, these are a most welcome, icy-cool treat. 

Delicious!

These homemade treats are delicious and they are also healthier. Rather than the dubious artificial flavours, colours and preservatives found in many commercially produced pops, these have familiar, easily recognised ingredients. Simple!

This is how I make them:

Homemade Chocolate Pops

2 cups milk 

1/4cup honey

2 Tablespoons raw cacao (or 3 Tablespoons cocoa)

2 Tablespoons cornflour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon butter

1.  Mix cornflour with a little of the milk until blended to a smooth slurry.

2.  Add milk, honey, cacao (or cocoa) and vanilla to a medium sized saucepan. 

3.  Whisk in cornflour slurry.

4.  Add the butter to the milky mixture.

5.  Heat mixture gently, over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. (Do not boil.)

6.  Allow this custardy mixture to cool somewhat. 

     (If a 'skin' forms on top of the mixture, carefully pour it through a fine sieve.) 

7.  Carefully transfer mixture to a heatproof pouring jug.

8.  Pour mixture into ice pop moulds and cap each one.

9.  Freeze for several hours until set.

There's nothing like homemade treats!

Enjoy ... and don't forget to catch the drips!

Meg

Berry Delicious Somethings

When I tiptoed out to the kitchen early yesterday morning, a wee bit sleepy but looking forward to a couple of quiet hours to myself before anyone else awoke, I stood in a should-not-be-there puddle right in front of our combined fridge/freezer. A puddle, as it turns out, that was the handiwork of a little elf. It seems that this cute elf got a bit peckish the previous evening and rummaged around in the freezer for some sliced bread to make himself some toast. Unfortunately, said elf left the bottom freezer door slightly ajar and it remained so all night long. And it was a warm night too! By morning, when I wandered out in my pjs, the freezer had defrosted and all the food in the fridge above (which is cooled by air circulating up from the freezer below) had warmed right up. I almost turned around and went back to bed!  Instead, I set about salvaging what I could.

In this freezer, which is thankfully not where I keep the bulk of our frozen foods, I had a stockpile of frozen berries. Some blueberries from my own blueberry bushes and some packets of mixed berries. All defrosted berries now! So, I made a quick dash to the little local shop (which thankfully opens early:) to buy some essentials and then set to making some berry delicious somethings...

Buttermilk and Berry Slice

(I used this recipe but with a pecan topping instead of almonds.)

Berry good!

Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins

(Adapted from this recipe from Jude Blereau.)

 Mixed Berry Icecream made in the Thermomix

(Adapted from this recipe for Strawberry Icecream)

Berry delicious!

Now, instead of plain old toast for a hungry little elf, there are several batches of these berry delicious somethings in the freezer. Hopefully, after he reaches in to find something to quieten his tummy rumblings, he'll remember to shut the freezer door!

Meg

New Year Days

These early New Year Days have unfolded contentedly, filled with time here in our home. We haven't ventured much beyond our own blue gates. We've not had the need or the desire to go far. I simply love days like these!

There's been a little gardening:

A creamy yellow Zinnia flower.

There's been some baking:

A fresh batch of oaty Anzac biscuits. 

There's been much healthy eating:

Our Garden Salad with chicken and a creamy yoghurt dressing.

There's been a spot of sewing:

 The beginnings of a new dress.

Practising buttonholes! 

There's been lots of cleaning and organising:

The much neater corner of my sewing table.

There's been a bit of knitting:

A new washcloth with a new pattern.

There's been plenty of reading and board games and music and cricket and fun.

Just two of the many books we are enjoying these holidays.

In amongst all these joys, there has been the annual packing away of the Christmas tree and lights and new calendars have replaced the old. This new year is off to a lovely start!

I hope your New Year Days are unfolding contentedly too.

Meg