Fudgsicles!

Jamie got really excited about making popsicles this summer. I was much less enthusiastic. I have really sensitive teeth and the thought of biting into a ice-cold popsicle sends shivers down my spine. I can eat them slowly, of course, and I do adore the creamier popsicles that melt quickly in your mouth. Creamsicles, fudgsicles, monkey bars--those are great. But flavored ice blocks are something I haven’t been able to get into yet. Plus, the homemade popsicles we made when I was a kid had a fatal flaw. When you sucked on them the flavor leaked out, leaving an ice cube on a stick behind. I know, some of you may love these things. That’s fine with me, but I decided that I wouldn’t settle for crappy popsicles. These things had to be amazing.

The first popsicle we made turned out incredible! Seriously, this is a life-changing fudgsicle. I started by modifying the chocolate pastry cream we used to make our award-winning Three Point One Smore’s Pi. With a few modifications this turns into a delicious chocolate sauce that you can pour into the molds and freeze. A pinch of xanthan gum minimizes ice crystal formation, making these smooth and creamy. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to generalize the xanthan gum trick to other kinds of popsicles yet. It seems like the high fat content of the cream and chocolate really helps xanthan gum to do its magic. If anyone knows how to make smooth popsicles, please fill me in! 

Special Equipment

Popsicle molds (We love Tovolo popsicle molds)
Immersion blender (but a stand blender also works) 

Ingredients

0.5 cups white sugar

1.5 g xanthan gum

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup milk

100 g/0.5 cups dark chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Instructions

Stir together the xanthan gum and sugar. Place the sugar mixture, cream, milk, dark chocolate, and heat on low heat until the chocolate melts. The chocolate will not incorporate into the milk fully. Blend with an immersion blender until homogenous. Pour into popsicle molds and allow the popsicles to freeze overnight. Excess mix can be stored in airtight bags in the freezer.