School has started but summer-time temperatures are far from over here in the South. If you feel like it will never cool down help yourself feel cooler with an ice-cold treat such as an “adult” popsicle (read: booze-infused) or a refreshing granita. Here are six recipes to help you beat the heat.
MARGARITA POPSICLE
Serves 4
½ cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup water
2 ounces white tequila (such as Familia Camarena’s Silver)
2 ounces orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)
Special equipment:
4 small disposable cups
4 popsicle sticks
aluminum foil
1. Combine sugar, lime juice and water in a small sauce-pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool, around 30 minutes.
2. Once cool, add tequila and Cointreau, stirring until thoroughly combined.
3. Evenly divide mixture among the cups and cover each cup with foil. Place the popsicle stick in the center of cup, using the foil to hold it in place. Freeze overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Remove foil and gently free frozen treats from the cups. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 190 calories, trace fat, 35 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium, trace dietary fiber, 0 percent of calories from fat.
LIMONCELLO AND BASIL POPSICLE
Serves 4
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup water
2 ounces limoncello (such as Pallini)
½ cup freshly chopped basil
Special equipment:
4 small disposable cups
4 popsicle sticks
aluminum foil
1. Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool, around 30 minutes.
2. Once cool, add Limoncello, stirring until thoroughly combined.
3. Evenly divide mixture among the cups and add 2 tablespoons of basil to each cup. Cover each cup with foil. Place the stick in the center of cup, using the foil to hold it in place. Freeze overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Remove foil and gently free frozen treats from the cups. Serve immediately.
94 calories, no fat, 43 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium, trace dietary fiber, 0 percent of calories from fat.
ESPRESSO GRANITA
Serves 6
3 cups hot espresso, or very strong coffee
½ cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur (such as Frangelico)
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1. In a glass baking dish, carefully pour in hot espresso and Kahlua. Whisk in sugar until dissolved completely. Place dish in freezer and every hour, scrape the mixture with a large fork to create the granita texture. Repeat this five times, for a total of five hours in the freezer.
2. When you’re ready to serve, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the Frangelico and powdered sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
3. To serve, use champagne flutes or wineglasses. Place 1 tablespoon of granita in the bottom of each glass. Spread a layer of whipped cream. Continue layering the granita and whipped cream, ending with the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 291 calories, 15 grams fat, 27 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 34 milligrams sodium, no dietary fiber, 55 percent of calories from fat.
WATERMELON AND MINT GRANITA
Serves 6
1/4 cup lime juice
½ cup sugar plus more to taste, divided
½ cup water
1 cup freshly chopped mint leaves
4 cups watermelon chunks
1. In a small saucepan, combine lime juice, sugar, water and mint leaves over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 30 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree the cooled syrup and watermelon until smooth. Taste, and adjust the sweetness by blending in extra sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass baking dish and place in freezer. Every hour, scrape the mixture with a large fork to create the granita texture. Repeat this five times, for a total of five hours in the freezer. To serve, pour granita into a cocktail glass and garnish with fresh mint.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 106 calories, trace fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 4 percent of calories from fat.
GRAPEFRUIT AND GIN COCKTAIL
Serves 2
3 ounces gin (such as Beefeater)
½ cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar Ice
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously. Pour into a cocktail glass and serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 154 calories, trace fat, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 3 percent of calories from fat.
FROZEN BELLINI
Serves 4
1 peach
1 cup prosecco
1/4 cup peach schnapps (such as DeKuyper)
2 cups crushed ice
1. Blanch peaches in boiling water. Remove from water and peel off skin. Cut into chunks. In a blender, add peach chunks and puree until smooth. Place in a plastic bag and freeze, about 5 hours.
2. In the blender, combine frozen peaches with prosecco and peach schnapps. Process until smooth. Add 2 cups of crushed ice and blend until slushy. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 93 calories, trace fat, 4 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, trace sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 1 percent of calories from fat.
