BLACKBERRY + LIQUORICE LOLLIES / MANGO + PASSION FRUIT LOLLIES

This week the weather is set to hit record high temperatures for June. Coming home from work and school hot and frazzled calls for a bit of cold comfort and these smoothie ice lollies certainly hit the spot. Inspired by the marbled smoothie popsicles recipe from Green Kitchen Smoothies, I made two different flavours from one batch of smoothie.

One of my favourite treats when visiting Denmark and Finland in recent years has been the liquorice ice cream. When in Denmark last summer I bought home a tin of liquorice powder. I’d mainly used it in my porridge, but paired with blackberries and frozen into these lollies it’s heavenly - reminiscent of those blackcurrant and liquorice sweets from my childhood. {You can buy liquorice powder online from Sous Chef}.

For the 50% of our household who don’t like liquorice, I made a mango + passion fruit flavour which never fails to be a winning combination.

Feel free to try alternative fruits and ingredients. Next up I’m going to try strawberry + basil.

Blackberry + Liquorice Lollies / Mango + Passion Fruit Lollies

Makes 4 of each flavour

For the banana smoothie:
2 ripe bananas, peeled
500g full-fat plain unsweetened Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the blackberry + liquorice smoothie:
75g blackberries
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
2 tsp liquorice powder, or more to taste

For the mango + passion fruit smoothie:
75g mango, chopped
2 passion fruit
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Lolly mould, 8 compartments
8 lolly sticks

For the banana smoothie:
Roughly chop the bananas and add them to a blender, along with the rest of the banana smoothie ingredients. Blend on a high speed until completely smooth. Divide the banana smoothie between four bowls.

For the blackberry + liquorice smoothie:
Pour one of your bowls of banana smoothie back into the blender and add the blackberries, maple syrup or honey and the liquorice powder. Blitz until completely smooth. Taste and add a little more liquorice powder if desired. Pour the blackberry + liquorice smoothie into a bowl.

Carefully fill 4 lolly moulds, alternating between one bowl of banana smoothie and the bowl of blackberry + liquorice smoothie. Use the end of a teaspoon or a skewer to gently swirl the two smoothies a little to create a marbled effect. Insert a lolly stick and place in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours until completely firm or overnight

For the mango + passion fruit smoothie:
Rinse your blender and pour another of your bowls of banana smoothie into the blender and add the chopped mango, maple syrup or honey and the juice and flesh from the passion fruits. Blitz until completely smooth. Pour the mango + passion fruit smoothie into a bowl.

Carefully fill 4 lolly moulds, alternating between the remaining bowl of banana smoothie and the bowl of mango + passion fruit smoothie. Use the end of a teaspoon or a skewer to gently swirl the two smoothies a little to create a marbled effect. Insert a lolly stick and place in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours until completely firm or overnight