Dessert

Firecracker Ice pops:

This ice pop recipe is a perfect spring and summer time treat. It's a healthy satisfying snack that will leave you wanting more. We decided to use vanilla yogurt instead of plain yogurt, as it gave the recipe that extra sweetness and flavor it needed! Makes 4-6 ice pops

Ingredients:

  1. 1/2 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered (1 1/2 cups)

  2. 1/4 cup sugar

  3. 1/2 pound blueberries (1 1/2 cups)

  4. 1 1/4 cups low-fat plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt

Method:

  1. In a food processor, puree strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Transfer to a small bowl.

  2. In the processor, puree blueberries with 1 tablespoon sugar.

  3. In another small bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 tablespoons sugar. 

  4. Pour the 3 mixtures, alternating, into ten 3-ounce ice-pop moulds, making 3 to 5 layers in each.

  5. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl mixtures together in an up-and-down motion. Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 2 1/2 to 3 hours (or up to 1 week).

Homemade brookies recipe

Ingredients for brownie batter:

  1. 10 tablespoons butter, softened

  2. 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar (5 ounces)
  3. 2/3 cup granulated sugar (5 ounces)
  4. 1 large egg
  5. 1 large egg yolk
  6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  7. 1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour (7.25 ounces)
  8. 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (1.5 ounces)
  9. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  10. 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for chocolate chip cookie batter:

  1. 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  2. 2/3 cup granulated sugar (5 ounces)
  3. 2/3 cup light brown sugar (5 ounces)
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  5. 1 large egg
  6. 1 large egg yolk
  7. 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (10.75 ounces)
  8. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  10. 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (mini or regular both work)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºc and prepare baking trays with parchment paper.
  2. To make the brownie batter beat the butter and both sugars together until they are creamy. (Tip, sieve the brown sugar so it is more easy to mix in) Then add the eggs and continue beating whilst pouring in the vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together. Slowly add this mixture to the wet ingredients and store the dough in the fridge until the assembly of the cookies.
  4. To make the chocolate chip cookie batter beat the butter and both sugars together until creamy. Add the eggs and pour in the vanilla.
  5. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and slowly incorporate these into the wet ingredients.
  6. Then stir in the chocolate chips slowly until they are widely dispersed.
  7. Portion the dough into about 4 dozen pieces, for precise measurements weigh 18 grams of cookie dough and 13 grams of brownie batter.
  8. Take one piece of cookie dough and one piece of brownie batter and push together to form a flat ball.
  9. Add the cookies to the prepared baking trays and bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Make sure to not overbake the cookies because they will become dry and hard. For softer cookies, slightly under bake.
  10. Serve with a glass of cold milk!