Sweet and tangy striped berry buttermilk popsicles. Jump to recipe.
Summer things are happening! More specifically, Popsicle Week is happening. Organized by Billy of Wit and Vinegar, Popsicle Week is 37 bloggers making summer even better with 37 kinds of popsicles (maybe more?). Get a look at each and every delicious flavor on the Popsicle Week page.
I made two kinds of popsicle. The first paired a mixture of gooseberries, currants, and jostaberries with buttermilk and lemon and cream cheese. The berries were lovely with their jewel-toned translucent skins, and were an exciting mix of pucker-inducing sour and juicy sweet. But either because I was too lazy to track them down or they were just too scarce, for the second batch, I switched the exotic berries out for sour cherries and blackberries. Different, but similar.
In both cases, it was the interplay of tangy and sweet, in the berries but also in the buttermilk and cream cheese, that made these popsicles special. They’re light, not too sweet, and just kind of simple and perfect – total summer perfection.
I think these stripes-optional berry buttermilk popsicles are best eaten sitting on a stoop or porch while listening to the hum of crickets (red tulle dress optional). Happy summer everyone!
Sweet and tangy striped berry buttermilk popsicles.
- 1 1/2 cups mixed berries (my first batch used gooseberries, currents, and jostaberries; the second used blackberries and sour cherries), pureed and pushed through a mesh strainer to remove seeds
- 1/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons 1-to-1 simple syrup , divided
- 1/4 cup water
- zest of 2 lemons , divided
- 1/4 cup lemon juice , divided
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 ounces cream cheese
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In a small bowl or measuring glass, combine the strained berry puree, 1/4 cup simple syrup, and water with half the lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
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In the pitcher of your blender (you could also use a mixer), combine the buttermilk, cream cheese, 5 tablespoons simple syrup, and the remaining lemon zest and juice.
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To make stripes, pour 1 - 2 tablespoons of the berry mixture into the bottom of each mold and freeze for an hour. Next, add a layer of the buttermilk mixture and freeze for another hour. Repeat, until you’ve used all of both. Add the popsicle sticks after the second layer has set up a bit. Keep the berry puree and buttermilk mixtures in the fridge while the layers cure. Once popsicle molds are full, freeze popsicles overnight for a solid cure. I also found that the popsicles got even colder when frozen outside of their molds. Finally, I froze my popsicles on a tilt to achieve diagonal stripes, so give that a try if you’d like.
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If stripes aren’t your thing, divide the berry mixture between the molds, freeze for 30 minutes, pour in the buttermilk mixture, add the sticks, and freeze overnight.
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I’m a sucker for a striped pop and these are so pretty! Love that there’s tangy buttermilk AND cream cheese in there.
Gorgeous pops, love the berry stripes!
These look just beautiful! Stripes + berries + cream cheese is alright by me.
those berry stripes look so delicious. and cream cheese too!? genius!
Elizabeth – THESE. ARE. STUNNING !!
The buttermilk and berries is a fabulous combination!
Are you serious I missed popsicle week! Wahhhh! Oh well, I’ll just have to have my own someday. And these pops look flipping delicious!!!!
-Jessica
http://www.wedressalright.com
You didn’t miss it Jessica! These were from popsicle week 2014 – popsicle week 2015 is THIS week. So, stay tuned, and follow #popsicleweek for all the frozen greatness.