Post-Labor Day Pop Musings from the Queen.......

Well, Labor Day has come and gone once again, darlings. While that might mean that the Queen is no longer free to wear white--and what a silly rule, by the way, sweeties, since the Queen wears whatever she damned well pleases--it most certainly does not mean that your monarch here will be giving up pop-making anytime soon. Why is that, my dear little doves?

Because your Queen is a strong, independent, devil-may-care kind of lady. Because she doesn't give a damn about your seasonal conventions. Because she says 'Who cares what the date on the calendar may say, anyway? Let's have a party!' And perhaps most importantly.......

........because it's still 110 degrees outside in the realm of the Queen. There is also that small little fact.

Let's get down to it and make some POPS, angels!!

Spiked Watermelon Punch Pops

(makes 6 4 oz. pops)

4 cups of ripest late summer watermelon

1/2 cup vodka

juice of 3 limes

2 T sugar

Additional needs: fine mesh strainer

Puree fruit in food processor, processing in batches if necessary. Pour that gorgeous ruby-hued melon liquid mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add lime juice and vodka and blow it a kiss, darlings. Add sugar, stir well, let sit 10 minutes to fully dissolve. Pour into molds, freeze until solid. Enjoy on a steamy summer day, barefoot on the porch in an evening gown!

Creamy Salted Caramel Pops

(makes 6 4 oz. pops)

1.5 cups real* milk, divided

1 cup sugar

3 T butter

1/2 tsp sea salt (if using unsalted butter)

1 cup cream

3 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla

Additional needs: instant-read thermometer, fine mesh strainer

( *skim, really?? No, no, darlings. Get thee to the grocery store and procure the real, whole stuff. Go ahead. The Queen will wait.)

This is truly sinful, sweeties. Make it only for someone who will be genuinely appreciative of its delights.

Chill 3/4 cup milk in a bowl. Add sugar to a pan over medium high heat, let caramelize until sugar is a nutty brown color similar to maple syrup. Do not stir while sugar is caramelizing, tilt pan if necessary to distribute caramel. When caramel has achieved maple syrup color, remove from heat immediately and add butter & salt, then gradually whisk in cream.

Hold your breath here, darlings, because it will seize (i.e. it will become a lumpy, crystallized, separated mess) and you will think you have done something wrong, but it is not so. Relax. Pour yourself a restorative brandy, if you are of a nervous temperament. Then return the pan to medium heat and stir until it relaxes back into a smooth, lovely caramel mixture. All is well.

Add 3/4 cup (non-chilled) milk to mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks, then add warm caramel mixture in a slow stream while continuing to whisk*. Return mixture to pan over medium heat, cook until thermometer registers 170 degrees. Pour mixture through fine mesh strainer into the pre-chilled bowl of milk, add vanilla. Pour into molds, freeze until solid. Best enjoyed during a forbidden encounter on a dark & sultry summer evening.

( *Yolks must be brought up to temperature gradually--this is called 'tempering'--so as to make a lovely smooth custard instead of scrambled egg bits slopping around wetly in milk)

Until next time, sweeties! Keep your lips glossed and your pearls shined! :)