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Receta Chocolate Covered Cherry Pops and a Zoku Quick Pop Maker Giveaway
by Barbara Kiebel

I imagine if I had young children around I could justify my obsession with all things popsicle…and snow coneish for that matter. But I don’t so the secrets out; I love these treats from childhood all year round even if today that might mean pumping up the volume with a liqueur or in this case with dark chocolate and toasted almonds.

Have you seen the Zoku Pop Maker? I had seen a couple of bloggers promote it and I know my friend Jenn at Jenn Cuisine has a single one she uses to make pops for her daughter but I had never seen it in use ‘for reals’ so I was excited as a kid when they asked if I would like to try one out and offer a giveaway to my readers. Given my proclivity for all things popsicle of course I was up for that!

The Zoku Pop Maker is simple; the main unit is not unlike the bowls that the new ice cream makers have. The unit goes into the freezer for a day (then just keep it there!) and when it’s nice and cold, you fill the slots with your choice of liquid and you’ve got pops in 7-9 minutes. I was easily able to make two rounds for a total of 6 pops in one session. I did put the unit and the 2nd set back into the freezer for a couple of minutes just to be safe, but doubt I really had to. The company indicates you could make 9 at a time and I believe them but the recipes and equipment are both geared towards 6 so 6 is what I did!

My first go round I decided to make a recipe from their cookbook for Espresso Pops and then cover them with some milk chocolate and toasted pecans for my own personal over the top treat. Was it good? It was but I decided to take photos where I’m temporarily living and not try to travel to my offsite studio (ahem…daughter’s 3rd bedroom) with a frozen treat and the effort was not working to my expectations. To seal the deal when I sat one down to run inside to catch a phone call I came back to see that bite gone. Yep…Mr. Squirrel was scampering away with the best treat of his life. Wonder if he kept the Mrs. up all night with his caffeine high? :) All things considered I bailed on this version and decided to move on.

Second go around and I was craving cherries. It was the end of cherry season though and I missed the boat; all the fresh cherries were gone. Then a miracle I tell ya! I spied frozen cherries at Sprouts and to be quite honest this was a plus. Already pitted? Perfect! I just love the combination of cherries and chocolate and it’s something I love all year round (the boys who make Cherry Garcia ice cream might see their sales dip a bit now that I can make these at home!).

Once frozen, I covered them in melted dark chocolate using the Zoku Chocolate Station – can I just tell you how handy this tool is? No more having to melt a huge pot of chocolate just to have enough volume to do the job; you simply melt chocolate in the dipping area and then you can either dip your pops or use the spoon utensil to dribble chocolate on them. The included trays are perfect if you want to add nuts or sprinkles or whatever and a handy lid let’s you save any leftover topping for later too (true confession – I had no leftover topping!).

Cherries and almonds are natural companions so I dipped my chocolate coated pops in a tray of toasted almonds and they were perfect, in fact they were inhaled! I find it hard to believe but I loved this more than the Mexican chocolate one; I think the fruit mixed with a base of Greek yogurt worked better. The tartness of yogurt combined with chocolate was simply not as wonderful as the combination of Greek yogurt and cherries. And chocolate. And toasted almonds. LOVED.

I admit I wish these tools had been in my kitchen when my kids were young and you might think I could give them to someone with little kids who would use it more than me. If my niece Eva ever read my blog and commented I might be swayed but that’s a big if; I won’t hold my breath but you never know! Until then? This baby is mine all mine and I’ll use it plenty. Still, the folks at Zoku were kind enough to offer one of each piece to give to one of my readers. You know the drill…all you have to do is leave a comment to be entered to win. Your choice if you decide to do any of those extra bits for more chances…but totally not necessary.

This was fun and the pops are all gone. That is just wrong so I’m fixing that asap…what should I make now!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Pops

Ingredients

In a double boiler over barely simmering water, warm the chocolate until it has completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool/ fill the chocolate reservoir of the Chocolate Dipping thingy.

Make the Cherry base:

In a blender, combine cherries, yogurt, milk, and sugar. Blend until throughly combined and smooth.

Assemble the Pops:

Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour the Cherry base into each cavity until you reach the fill line.

Let freeze completely according to manufacturer's directions and remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops. Put them in the freezer.

Add the Chocolate Shell:

Remove the pops from the freezer and dip them halfway up with the chocolate shell; dip quickly in chopped nuts if desired and put back on cookie sheet and return to the freezer.

Store separated by waxed paper or saran wrap.

Notes

One lesson I learned? Don't mess with the base too much. I actually made another batch of cherry ones and wanted pieces of cherry and chocolate in the pops. Not an easy task when you have to fill the molds with the plastic handle already in the base.

I also tried sticking some fruit on the sides as suggested in some photos. My fruit was too big and got in the way of my being able to easily insert the handles. I still think a cool idea but make sure you just slice a thin piece of fruit; a half of a cherry was too much!

2.2

http://www.creative-culinary.com/chocolate-covered-cherry-pops/

This recipe brought to you by Creative Culinary | A Food and Cocktail Blog | Website: www.creative-culinary.com

Enter to Win a Zoku Quick Pop Maker and Chocolate Station (Retail Value $70)

How to Enter:

Required Entry: For a chance to win leave a comment here, whatever you’d like. For example tell me what you would make with the Zoku Quick Pop Maker.

*The required entry must be completed otherwise any extra entries will not count.

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Giveaway starts on September 30, 2013 and will run until October 5, 2013 at 11:59 pm Mountain Time.

PLEASE REMEMBER: You must leave a separate comment for EACH of your entries or only one entry will be counted.

Official Rules:

Open to US residents only.

To enter you must leave a comment.

One winner will be selected at random to receive both item; a Zoku Quick Pop Maker and Chocolate Station.

The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

Sponsors are: http://www.zokuhome.com

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, VOID WHERE PROHIBITED

Disclaimer: I was provided with a Zoku Quick Pop Maker and Chocolate Station for the purposes of this review, all opinions are my own.