Summery, refreshing and slightly shilpet.
My children absolutely love lemons.
Serve some lemon wedges at mealtime with some salmon or with pancakes and you’ll find my younger two children sucking the juice out of the wedges with positive glee. They’ll nibble away at every bit of the fruit so that there is only a bare rind left.
As such, these fruity lemonade ice lollies have been made with their love of lemons in mind, with very little added sugar.
I’ve made them with fruit sugar, not because of any preference for fruit sugar or perceived benefits (sugar is sugar is sugar, innit), but because I bought a packet of fruit sugar about six months ago on a whim, and it’s been sitting neglected in the back of my cupboard ever since. It was nigh time I used some of it.
I discovered this quick five minute lemonade recipe years ago. Blitz whole lemons with some water and sugar to taste, strain, dilute with fizzy water (or white wine!) and enjoy! You could even try it with honey, maple syrup, agave or any other type of sugar. Experiment and see what works best for you!
Take care when using a high powered blender though, as you don’t want to incorporate the pith of the lemon into the water or you’ll end up with a bitter drink. You just want to get the juice out and leave loads of whole lemon bits floating at the top.
Taste test when you’re done, and if you think it needs a bit more sugar add some. This recipe is on the eye-twitching side of lemony. There’s a perfect Shetland dialect word to describe it: shilpet. That kind of sour that makes your eye twitch and your face distort, but you keep going back. Just how my kids like it.
Pack whatever fruit you happen to have (or like) into the ice lolly moulds before filling them up with fresh lemonade. I used fresh cherries and strawberries which were both desperately needing used up – I’d bought them at a reduced price on their best before date, and they were already several days over that.
Packing fruit into the ice lolly moulds before adding the lemonade means that each lolly contains a portion of fruit, contributing to your five (or is it seven or ten these days?) a day. They taste awesome and they’re good for you too.
We enjoyed our ice lollies in the evening sun after a day’s festivities at a local Wild West Fest (hence the face paint and plaid shirts!) before getting chased off our local beach by some feeding tirricks (Arctic terns).
Fruity Lemonade Ice Lollies
Ingredients
- 2 whole lemons unwaxed
- 500 ml cold water
- 65 grams fruit sugar (add more to taste)
- fresh fruit (strawberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)
Instructions
- Wash the whole lemons and cut into quarters.
- Place into a blender and pulse for 10 seconds or so, until the lemon is properly chopped up. Take care not to over mix, especially in a high powered blender, as the lemon pith can make the lemonade bitter. You just want to incorporate the lemon pieces into the water.
- Leave the lemonade for a few minutes while you slice the fruit into pieces.
- Fill your ice lolly moulds with fruit. Pack as much as you can get in there.
- Using a wire sieve or a nut milk bag, strain the lemonade.
- Taste test. Add more sugar if you feel it needs it, or keep as is if you want a proper lemony kick to your ice lollies.
- Pour lemonade into each of the ice lolly moulds. Insert a wooden lolly stick (the fruit will keep it in place) and place into a freezer for 6 hours.
- Unmould and serve!
LINKING UP WITH A FEW FOOD BLOGGING CHALLENGES
Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream challenge by Kavey Eats – this month the theme is ice lollies
Tea Time Treats from The Hedgecombers and Lavender & Lovage – theme: BBQ fodder
No Waste Food Challenge by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Credit Crunch Munch by Fab Food 4 All and Fuss Free Flavours
Simple & in Season by Ren Behan
OTHER ICE LOLLY RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Minions Cornsicles by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Home Made Fab Ice Lollies by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Frozen Pineapple Ice Pops by Eats Amazing
Fruity Frozen Yogurt Pops by Eats Amazing
Raspberry Ripple Fudgesicles by Made with Pink
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Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary uses the Froothie Optimum 9400 blender, and the Froothie Optimum 600 slow juicer to make her juices, soups and smoothies. These are affiliate links, meaning if you buy a blender or juicer through them we will earn a small commission. This is not a paid post and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Herbert Appleby says
did you get these to freeze without turning into cast iron like strength and be melt in the mouth gorgeous like the shop bought ones?
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I am terribly late to the party, but those look lovely! Who needs the summer for ice lollies? Thanks for linking up to #CreditCrunchMunch
Heather Haigh says
They look lovely, something we would really enjoy on a hot summer’s afternoon very much – mmm only 1 problem at the moment….
Johanna GGG says
great summery photos – esp the wild west facepaint!
and lovely iced lollies (or icy poles as we call them)
I asked E if he knew shilpet as it is such a great word – he tells me that weersht is his Edinburgh equivalent
Ursula Hunt says
Great way to keep cool and enjoy lovely fruit, better than any bought lolly
Karen Gray says
I haven’t made any homemade ice lollies in years. This has inspired me to dig out my ice lolly moulds….I’m wondering if I can blitz it in my Nutribullet?
William Gould says
Great idea, especially as our new freezer has a special ice tray in it!
Alison says
These look tasty
bev says
wow! they look yum
Joyce says
Wow, this ice must be delicious.
Camilla says
Gorgeous lollies Elizabeth and love the pictures of the children enjoying them:-) Thanks for a great #CreditCrunchMunch entry:-)
Margot @ Coffee & Vanilla says
They look beautiful, sooo refreshing!!
I made something very similar after my daughter’s birthday party when we had leftover lemonade, raspberrade really 😉 The lollies turned out great.
Janie says
I haven’t made ‘real’ lollies for SOOOO long! You’ve inspired me to dig out the moulds 🙂
Thanks for sharing with Tea Time Treats Elizabeth, see you next time!
Janie x
Kerry at Kerry Cooks says
Ooh yum! I guess the whole fruit probably helps make these healthier too! Lovely idea
Nazima Pathan says
my kids love lemon too, and finish them off just as you describe! so am bookmarking this for when we get some sun back down in England!!
Nayna Kanabar says
What pretty lollies and healthy too. Guilt free treats that look fun to make too.
leeshastarr says
These look great, I’ve been meaning to make some myself but keep forgetting to buy the fruit.
kellie@foodtoglow says
I am a sourpuss too so I will love these! Nice to see someone is having some sunshine 😉
Emily says
These look fab and fun! So refreshing too. Can’t believe your children can eat lemons like that 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Homemade lollies are so easy to make, aren’t they. It’s insane how much the shops charge for frozen fruit and juice.
Choclette says
Sour lemons? Wow, you have some unusual kids Elizabeth. Your lollies sound gorgeous and though I wouldn’t have liked them when young, I would love them now.
Joyce mccormack says
As my boys are now all grown up I’m thinking of adding some, just a hint of vodka to make some adult shilpet, fruity popsicles. I’ve got some lollipop moulds that are still in their box.thanks for the inspiration.
Rachel says
This is something I definitely want to try, so thank you for making it look and sound simple, never mind delicious x
Kavey says
Oooh shilpet lollies! They look beautiful. My sister used to suck lemons like that, but I’m oversensitive to sour and bitter so I never did!