Mango Cherry Popsicles

These mango cherry popsicles are made entirely of fruit and a touch of fruit juice so there is no added sugar, artificial sweetener or colouring involved. I’d say cherry mango popsicles are so healthy they are fair game anytime of day.

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Mango cherry popsicles are the answer to the age-old problem of what to eat when the weather turns hot without consuming something unhealthy. My kids have been delighting in them for years.

These healthy mango and cherry popsicles are fresh, fruity and very quick & easy to make. In other words, they’re perfect for when it’s just too hot to spend hours in the kitchen.

What is a popsicle?

Popsicle is the American word for what we Brits call an ice pop or ice lolly.

The story goes that a young boy named Frank Epperson accidentally invented the frozen lolly when he left a glass holding a sweet drink and a wooden stirring stick out on his porch overnight. There was a frost and, when Frank found the glass in the morning, the drink had frozen solid. He ran the glass under hot water and removed the ice pop using the stick as a handle. Delighted with his accidental creation, he frequently made this treat for friends as he grew up and then for his own children.

Then, in 1923 Frank filed for a patent for his invention, which he planned to call Eppsicles. However, his children insisted on calling them Pop’s ‘sicles. Hence the popsicle came to fruition.

Confession: I’m normally a stickler for clinging to English terminology rather than adopting American words, such as popsicle, when I write. I am English, after all, and I do feel a bit fraudulent to write any other way than I would typically talk. But I reserve the right to occasionally abandon my morals. England has ice pops or ice lollies. I’ve never liked those terms. And honestly,  which one sounds more fun – ice lolly or popsicle?

Why you’ll love this recipe

If there is one thing that utterly annoyed me about ice pops as a kid, it was taking two sucks and then discovering that my beautiful blue ‘raspberry’ pop had magically transformed into a stick of ice. Starved of all flavour and devoid of all colour, it was just plain old ice. Tragic magic.

I don’t know what I really could have expected from a 10p mouthwash-blue ice pop c1980, but my childhood self really did envisage more.

Suffice to say, I’ve taken care to ensure my pops do not warp the same abysmal way when put under the suction test. These cherry popsicles are made entirely of fresh fruit and just a little fruit juice. No water is involved, so the colour and taste stay for the duration of the time it takes to suck each pop into obscurity.

And unlike my 1980s blue monstrosity of an ice lolly, these mango cherry popsicles contain:

• No added sugar.
• No artificial sweeteners.
• And no artificial colourings.

Made entirely of fruit, these cherry mango popsicles are a great alternative to ice cream or other more indulgent treats. They are also gluten-free and vegan.

Ingredients and equipment notes

Equipment

A blender is essential when making these healthy cherry mango popsicles as the fruit must be processed until very smooth.

You’ll need some popsicle moulds. I’ve always got on well with my Silikomart silicon moulds but there’s now a vast array of silicon moulds to choose from. Have fun selecting your ideal shape.

Note: The exact number of popsicles made will vary depending on the size of your moulds. My large and small moulds hold around 80ml and 40ml liquid respectively.

Ingredients

The ingredients for these healthy mango and cherry popsicles are straightforward, but quality fruit is essential to end up with tasty homemade popsicles that are a joy to lick:

Cherries: fresh cherries are the best option. However, if they are out of season then frozen ones can be used instead.

Mango: this must be ripe and soft. Ensure that the mango you use is not woody. I don’t recommend using frozen mango as it will be difficult to effectively process this amount of frozen fruit in the blender.

Lime: this adds a burst of zesty freshness and really brightens up the tropical mango and the sweet yet tart cherry flavours.

Apple juice: this helps loosen the fruit enough to ensure a pourable consistency can be reached. It’s fine to use cloudy or clear juice.

Step-by-step instructions

It takes just 10 minutes to make a batch of these healthy mango cherry popsicles. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Juice the lime.
2. Cut the mango, remove the stone and skin then roughly chop the flesh (need help preparing the mango? Take a look at this video).
3. Pit the cherries (or cut each one in half and remove the stone).
4. Put the cherries, mango flesh, lime juice and apple juice into the jug of a blender.
5. Secure the lid and blitz until smooth.
6. Pour into the popsicle mould and insert the wooden sticks.
7. Transfer to the freezer. Let them freeze for around 3-4 hours.
8. Once frozen remove from moulds, wrap individually in greaseproof paper and return to the freezer until required (eat within 1-2 weeks).

Expert tips

• If you do not have popsicle moulds try using paper cups instead.
• Ensure there is space in the freezer to lay or stand your moulds depending on their requirements.
• Don’t overfill the moulds. Liquid expands as it freezes, so fill close to the top of the mould but not all the way.
• Not over-filling the mould also makes them easier to transfer to the freezer without spillage.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

It’s easy to adapt these mango and cherry popsicles to ring the changes now and again:

• Replace the apple juice with pineapple juice.
• Or go tropical and replace the apple juice with coconut milk for a creamy cherry popsicle.
• Use a mix of mango and pineapple – try a 50:50 ratio.
• Double the amount of cherries used and reduce the other fruit accordingly.
• Add a splash of alcohol such as rum, Amaretto or Malibu coconut liqueur. Around 1-2 tablespoons should suffice and remember to serve them just to adults.
• Blitz a little fresh mint in with the fruit.

More frozen goodies for summer

Have you made these mango and cherry popsicles? Please give the recipe a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations.

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