New Years Eve 2012 in Amsterdam was a night we’ll never forget. Ryan’s older brother David and his family were living there temporarily, and we were fortunate enough to visit a few times before they recently moved back to Oregon. On New Year’s Eve we were all invited by his coworkers to a progressive dinner party where we met new friends and celebrated in style: the first home offered light appetizers alongside cocktails and wine, while the second featured a feast of main courses for the thirty merry participants, and the final family was in charge of desserts, preparing multiple tables arranged with soft eclairs, crispy creme brûlées, and an impressive array of tasty european treats. But the main attraction began at midnight when the entire city simultaneously lit up the sky with a unforgettable display of fireworks: it was like the opening ceremony of the Olympics with jaw-dropping shows in every direction as far as the eye could see. From the top floor of the apartment, we had 360° views of Amsterdam, and it was the perfect place to ring in the new year. And today we have something sweet to ring in your summer, inspired by that very trip to the Netherlands: please put your hands together for tiramisu pops, and let the barbecues begin!
Tiramisu can either be Fabulous or Disastrous. In fact, even though we love it, we never order it because it’s often Disastrously disappointing. But in Amsterdam, there was a small family-owned Italian restaurant just a ten minute bike ride from David’s apartment, known for their authentic pizza and fresh pastas. We would visit each time we were in town, never missing their Fabulous version of this dreamy Italian delicacy. In honor of their life-changing tiramisu, we have transformed this classic dessert into cool and creamy popsicles, just in time for #PopsicleWeek hosted by the Fabulous Billy Green of Wit & Vinegar! There are over 100 bloggers participating this year, and the creativity is astounding! You can find all the recipes here, plus five years of archives for all your popsicle party planning!
Your tastebuds will be cruising the canals before you can count to quattro. Making popsicles is as easy as… making popsicles! You just mix all your ingredients in one bowl, pour it into molds, stick ‘em in the freezer, and that’s it. Here, soft Madeleine cookies are quickly dipped in black coffee, then mixed with velvety mascarpone swirled with vanilla, cocoa powder, and more fresh coffee for that smooth tiramisu flavor. The only difficult part is pouring this heavenly mixture into the popsicle molds without eating the entire bowl first! Good luck!
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Tiramisu Pops
makes 12 to 14 popsicles
For the coffee:
1 1/2 cups (355ml) black coffee (not espresso), cooled
2 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
For the tiramisu mixture:
2 1/2 cups (567g) mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (86g) granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 madeleines or ladyfinger cookies (about 20g each)
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
First, add the sugar into the coffee, and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
Place the mascarpone in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup (237ml) of the sweetened coffee, the sugar, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and blended. Set aside.
Pour the remaining 1/2 cup (118ml) of coffee into a small shallow bowl. Dip a cookie in the coffee, submerging it briefly, then break it into large chunks into the bowl of tiramisu mixture. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Gently fold the cookies into the mixture without breaking them up too much. Sprinkle the cocoa powder over the top, and stir it in just enough so the color swirls through the batter without mixing completely. Pour into ice pop molds (see note), insert sticks, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Serve and enjoy!
note:
— If you can’t find madeleines or ladyfingers, you could also use small pieces of firm poundcake or vanilla spongecake.
— We use this ice pop mold, but you could also pour the mixture into paper or plastic cups and freeze.