Fudge Popsicles

 

Yesterday I told you that I had a picnic for myself.  What's a picnic without dessert? It's been super hot here in Kentucky and what better way to cool off than a popsicle...A FUDGE POPSICLE. I love ice-cream so very much and popsicles, frozen yogurt...you get the picture. 

Yet another childhood memory at my grandparents' home were the fudge pops they kept in the basement's deep freeze.  My grandparents' basement is a scary place and when I was younger I would NEVER go down there alone....Unless it was a hot summer evening and I was retrieving fudge pops.  It's shocking I didn't turn into a fudge pop I ate so many of them as a child.  And still today, I love them, I crave them, I ask my husband to go out at 9:00 PM to the dollar store near our home and buy them for me :)  

I won't lie and say I'll never purchase fudge popsicles, but I wouldn't have to.  These babies are SUPER DUPER easy and soooo much better than the store bought ones! Why? GOOD QUALITY CHOCOLATE!  I'm telling you if you didn't believe me when I posted these cookies then believe me now: Good quality chocolate is NOT, I REPEAT, NOT a suggestion! It's a necessity!  However, if you won't take my word for it then go ahead and make those cookies and these fudge pops with your store-brand chocolate and then make them with a better quality chocolate and if you don't taste the difference let me know and I will pay for that expensive chocolate! I'm not saying to go out or online and purchase a $20.00 bar of chocolate but try the Ghirardelli instead of your store brand, it's so worth it...PROMISE!  I bought the stock I have now on clearance right after Christmas at Wal-Mart. They were 75% off a bag the week after Christmas...SCORE!

Okay, let me step down from my soap box and get back to the fudge popsicles.  I think these took about 10 minutes to make then I put them in the freezer over night (again, my urge to make goodies came around 10:00 pm).  I saw this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. Can I take a moment and tell you if I could spend a week or even just a day with someone and do nothing but ask them about food and eat with them, it would be Deb! She's just amazing! I love all her recipes and she's so knowledgeable about food.  If by chance you haven't went to check out her blog, you're missing out! So, like almost everything I see on her blog I had to make these right away.  They did not disappoint; so yummy :)

In case you don't already have popsicle molds, BUY THEM CHEAP! I got mine at Wal-Mart for $1.00 a pack.  All you have to do is run some warm water over them and they slide right out and are ready to enjoy.  Plus, they are a good size :) Or, you can use small cups/glasses and insert the popsicle sticks.  

Fudge Popsicles

Source: Smitten Kitchen

Printable Recipe 

Makes 4 popsicles

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (21 grams or 3/4 ounce) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup (67 grams or 2 1/3 ounce) sugar
1 tablespoon (7 grams or 1/4 ounce) cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons (8 grams or 1/4 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon (7 grams or 1/4 ounce) unsalted butter

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over very low heat, melt the chocolate chips, stirring constantly until smooth.

Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk and salt and raise heat to medium. Cook mixture, stirring frequently until it thickens, anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes.  

Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter and stir until combined. 

Set aside to cool slightly then pour into popsicle molds (I poured the mixture into a measure glass first to make the pouring easier) Freeze 30 minutes, then insert popsicle sticks. Freeze the rest of the way before serving.*

*If you have molds like mine that have sticks attached to the lids, then place them on top of molds after pouring in chocolate mixture and freeze. You don't need to freeze 30 minutes prior to attaching lids.