RAINBOW POPSICLE RINGS

Rainbow popsicle rings are novel, fun, funny, yummy (and, made with 100% fruit and juice) and a perfectly portioned small treat! We made these to brighten a weekday that we were shared with special friends but, I will definitely add these to a party soon. (St. Patty’s Day, here we come!) Rainy day fun, perfect party additions (make ahead + so easy to serve) , as well as being a very fun project to make together.

Rainbow Popsicle Rings How-to:Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Raspberry Puree *  (see puree instructions below)
1/2 Mango Puree
1/2 Kiwi Puree,
2 1/2 C. Apple Juice
12 – 3 cl plastic cups or similar. (Use the smallest freezer-friendly plastic cups available.)
12 Pipe cleaners

Prepare all of the purees and juice.Combine purees and juices, in separate bowls, as listed below. Set aside.

 

How to make the pureed layers: 
I use a handheld blender because I feel that they’re so quick and easy to clean. You may also use your regular food processor. 

Red layer:
1/2 C Raspberry Puree (or approximately 3/4 Cup fruit before pureeing) + 3/4- 1  C Apple Juice

Orange layer:
1/2 Mango Puree  (or approximately 3/4 Cup fruit before pureeing)  + 3/4 – 1 Apple Juice

Green layer: 
1/2 C Kiwi Puree (or approximately 3/4 Cup fruit before pureeing; strain if you would prefer seedless ) + 3/4 C Apple Juice

Blue layer: 
1 Cup Apple Juice with blue food coloring** This is a juice only layer and I think is a nice way to seal in the fruit.

* Important Notes:– If you would prefer to avoid using blue food coloring, this blue layer can be replaced with 1/2 C blue or black berries and 3/4 C apple or grape juice. This color won’t be as vibrant but, it is still beautiful.

– 5th Layer Optional: A 5th layer can be added by using the above blueberry or blackberry and juice blend.

** – I make fruit puree with my handheld blender. As a general rule of thumb, I add 1/2more than you need for the final measurement. This means that I measured 1/4 cup fresh fruit: 3/4 Cup fresh fruit = 1/2 cup fruit puree. I puree the fruit along with the juice. It is OK to add a little bit more juice if necessary. 

Ring Base:
Begin by preparing the pipe cleaner rings. Fold the pipe cleaners in half and fold around finger to shape as a ring. Twist the pipe cleaner at the base of the ring and continue to twist the full steam — leaving the top ring shape. The base will be frozen into the popsicle.

Let’s start making popsicles:Start with the first, blue, layer: Place 12 plastic cups on a freezer tray and fill the bottom of these cupswith the first blue layer. Freeze.

Once the first blue layer has frozen, add second green kiwi layer. Freeze.

Fill the popsicle up to the point where the ring meets the straight, staff, twisty. If there is too much of this staff, the popsicle ring will be wobbly. The perfect height to fill is immediately below the ring.