Frozen Treats Week#4: Zoku Quick Pops Cookbook Review, Homemade Fudge Pops, and Peanut Butter Quick Shell

A few weeks ago I bought some new tools for my Zoku Quick Pop Maker, along with the new Zoku Quick Pops Cookbook.  Last year when I first bought the Zoku Quick Pop Maker I had some trouble unmolding my pops and I was hopeful that the Zoku book would include great recipes and helpful hints to solve my problems.  The book itself is full of information about the quick pop maker, as well as the accessories.  It provides lists of ingredients that work well with the Zoku, as well as tips about creating layers, adding extras, adding fruit, and making quick shells.  

 Zoku Quick Pops

Softcover

95 pages

The chapters with recipes include:

Fresh & Fruity:  Includes all sorts of fruity favorites like watermelon, caramelized banana, black raspberry, and pink mojito.

I Scream for Quick Pops!:  This chapter includes lots of ice pops made out of ice cream. Some of the ones I'd like to try are the Tartufo, Butter Pecan, Pistachio, Cookie Dough, and Cookies & Cream

Bake Shop:  Fun recipes based on all your favorite baked goods like pumpkin pie, strawberry shortstops, key lime pie, and even a carrot cake quick pop.

Coco Loco:  Recipes to satisfy your chocolate cravings.  Everything ranging from the classic fudge pop, to nutty chocolate pretzel pops, s'more pops, peanut butter & jelly pops and malted milk ball pops

All in all, I'd say this is a very kid-friendly cookbook. My four year old son carries it around constantly, begging me to make him every quick pop in the book.  I finally got him to narrow down his choices and he settled on the fudge pops.

Oh, Fudge!

Adapted from Zoku Quick Pop Cookbook

Yields 6  

1 cup water

2-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1/3 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

1/3 cup 2% milk

1 tablespoon half & half

In a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk together the water, chocolate, sugar, and salt until the chocolate has completly melted (do not boil) and chocolate granules have dissolved, about 5 minutes (test by dipping a clean spoon into the mixture; if you don't see many chocolate specks, it's ready to come off the heat).  Let cool slightly (about 10 minutes).  Whisk in the milk and half & half.  Refrigerate until cool.

Insert sticks into the pop maker molds and pour the cooled chocolate base until you reach the fill line.  Let freeze completely, then remove pops with the Super Tool and enjoy.  Repeat with remaining pops.  Alternatively, you can fill standard pop molds and store in the freezer until frozen.

Peanut Butter Quick Shell
Adapted from Zoku Quick Pop Cookbook
Yields 2/3 cup

1/3 smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup refined coconut oil

In a double boiler over barely simmering water, whisk together the peanut butter and coconut oil until warmed through and mixed thoroughly.  Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.

How to Store:  Pour quick shell into airtight, microwave-safe container; store in the fridge for up to three weeks.  Quick shell will harden when cold so you will need to reheat it in short increments at half power or sit the container in a bath of hot water for a few minutes.

Notes/Results:  I have to say that I have mixed feelings about the Zoku book.  The book itself is beautiful and done well, but the recipes weren't my favorite.  The fudge pop came together quickly and had a good flavor pre-freeze.  However, after freezing in the Zoku, the fudge pops had a very strange texture.  They looked great, and they unmolded wonderfully, but they didn't taste great.  To be completely honest, we pitched them.  Yes, they were that bad.

We were positive that we would be crazy about the peanut butter quick shell, but after mixing equal parts peanut butter and coconut oil, the peanut butter flavor wasn't as pronounced as we would have liked it to be.  It's not to say that we didn't like it at all, but I probably wouldn't make it again.  I do have to admit that it was really fun to make the peanut butter quick shell.  It was definitely fun to pour the quick shell over the ice cream and watch it harden. 

I'm going to give the book a second chance and try the chocolate quick shell, as well as some of the other quick pop recipes.