Summer Sophistication with Tea Ice Pops

By: Carey Ruhl

One of the best things about summer is enjoying a nice cold ice pop. (You might think of them as Popsicles. But Popsicle is a trademarked name for a brand of ice pops.) Who doesn’t like to feel a cold, tasty treat on their tongue that brings back thoughts of the long summer days in childhood? But the ice pop recipes that I am going to share with you in this article are for your more sophisticated adult palate. These ice pops are made with tea!
Yes, that's right - tea ice pops. Or tea popsicles, depending on what you called them as a kid.

Cold Brewing Tea

Cold brewing your tea will be the best way to get the full flavor of the tea into your pops. (And it is super easy.) Grab a pitcher and put 2 tablespoons of tea, in an infuser or tea bag, for each quart of water and let it sit in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.

Or Hot Brew It (Is it hot in here?)

If you just can’t wait 8 hours, go ahead and put the kettle on (crank up the AC) and brew the tea hot. Check the guidelines of the tea that you are using for steeping times. You will then want to let the tea cool for a bit before adding the other ingredients and filling the molds.

Add A Sweetener

Part of the reason that these are ice pops and not ice cubes is the addition of a sweetener. It is highly recommended that you add some sort of sweetener to create a more ice pop consistency that is a bit flaky rather than a hard piece of ice that will melt before you actually get to enjoy it. You can add more or less sweetener than is suggested in the recipes, but do taste it before you freeze it. If the liquid is a little sweeter than you would like it, then it will be perfect. They will taste less sweet as they freeze.
One thing to keep in mind is how you like your tea. If you like your tea with heaps of sugar, then by all means use a lot of sugar. But for lots of people a subtle hint of sweetness, meant to bring out the taste of the tea and the other ingredients, will be enough to do the trick.

Ice Pop Molds

There are many ways to DIY your own ice pop molds. You have probably seen a pin or five with the wooden stick in a paper cup setup. But I urge you to buy your own ice pop molds. It is more environmentally friendly this way and they have some simple, elegant molds that you can impress guests with at your next summer party. Like this one. And this one. Or you can wax nostalgic with this one or this super fun one.

Put Your Own Spin On Them

The following two mint tea-based ice pop recipes are really just guides to help you get started with your own mixes. Frankly, I used mint tea because that it what I had on hand and I know that mint is a wonderful flavor that pairs well with many things. I highly encourage you to experiment with different teas and different fruit combinations. Fill up those Pinterest boards with your own original ice pop recipes!

Strawberry Earl Grey Tea Ice Pops

Ingredients:

1 part strawberry earl grey tea
1 part strawberries
1-2 teaspoons (to taste) sugar, or sweetener of your choice
Handful of sliced strawberries

Preparation:
Measure how much liquid you will need to fill your ice pop molds. Use this to determine how big your parts will need to be for the liquid.
Take the strawberries and puree them with the mint tea. Add sugar, and then taste the mixture to make sure you have the appropriate amount of sweetness.
Pour the mixture into your molds. Freeze uncovered (without the stick) for 30 minutes to an hour. Then add some strawberry pieces to each mold, pushing them down a bit so they are distributed throughout the pop. Next, put in the sticks and let freeze for around 5 hours or until frozen completely.
To remove the ice pops from their molds you will usually have to hold the molds under hot water to loosen the pop.

Creamy Mint and Mini Chocolate Chip Tea Popsicle

Ingredients:

2 parts white chocolate peppermint tea
1 part milk or alternative milk of your choice
Handful of mini chocolate chips
1-2 teaspoons (to taste) sugar, or sweetener of your choice

Preparation:
Measure how much liquid you will need to fill your ice pop molds. Use this to determine how big your parts will need to be for the liquid.
Mix the milk and tea together in a pitcher or large measuring cup. Add sugar, and then taste the mixture to make sure you have the appropriate amount of sweetness.
Pour the mixture into your molds. Freeze uncovered (without the stick) for 30 minutes to an hour. Then add some mini chocolate chips to each mold, pushing them down a bit so they are distributed throughout the pop. Next, put in the sticks and let freeze for around 5 hours or until frozen completely.
To remove the ice pops from their molds you will usually have to hold the molds under hot water to loosen the pop.

Photos are courtesy of the author except ice pop molds from Amazon.com

Carey Ruhl

Carey Ruhl is the Operations Concierge and Chief Socialite at Plum Deluxe. She is also a fabric/surface designer with her own business, Empire Ruhl. Follow her on Twitter @careyruhl or Facebook.

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