Let’s kick off summer with popsicles!
This weekend marks the unofficial start of summer in the US with Memorial Day Weekend. Let’s celebrate with an old-fashioned summertime treat—popsicles! But not ordinary popsicles, these Strawberry Tarragon Popsicles did not come from the neighborhood ice cream truck. Tart, just sweet enough, and with a whisper of tarragon, these small-batch popsicles taste exactly like summer.
New England strawberries
A friend of mine has a theory—each strawberry, he says, contains the same amount of sweetness, no matter how big they get. That’s why New England strawberries, our tiny little berries of perfection, reign supreme. They come into season in June and July for exactly one nanosecond and then they’re gone again. For this recipe, I cheated a bit, because I just couldn’t wait. I found hot-house tiny sweet strawberries and used those. You don’t need to use the tiny strawberries for this recipe, but they definitely taste the best, in my humble opinion.
Tarragon and strawberries?
About a month ago, I came across an article from the Kitchn on strawberry shortcake. My mom makes outstanding shortcake (she does say that the James Beard shortcake that the author declared the winner is the best she’s ever had. “But it’s VERY naughty”), so I wasn’t looking for a recipe, but one caught my eye. It used tarragon in the strawberries. Yum! I thought, that sounds SO good!
I hadn’t thought of strawberries and tarragon before, but I thought about the sweetness and tartness of a tomato, which pairs beautifully with tarragon and thought that it just might make sense. Anyhow, I was going to try it.
These popsicles couldn’t be simpler
This recipe for Strawberry Tarragon popsicles couldn’t be simpler—the only bother is straining, which I’m afraid is a must, but would go a lot faster if you had a larger strainer than the one I have. Otherwise, you simply infuse simple syrup with some tarragon and lemon, hull and cut fresh strawberries (the little ones if you can get them), and puree everything in a blender. Strain, adjust if needed, freeze, and enjoy!
Strawberry Tarragon Popsicles taste just like summer
Dear Reader, these are some seriously yummy popsicles. They have all the tart sweetness of summer strawberries. The tarragon doesn’t overpower in the least, but it lends a certain something that makes them unique. Sit outside on a warm afternoon and feel like a kid again—without the sugar hangover from regular popsicles.
Summer recipes!
With the kickoff of summer, check out the summer recipe collection on Wonder & Sundry! Continuously updated as new recipes get added and including some of my favorite summery recipes from cooks I love, it’s a great post to bookmark.
Use those popsicle molds again with Lavender Fudgesicles!
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Stawberry Tarragon Popsicles
Equipment
- 1 popsicle mold set if you do not have a popsicle mold, you can use small freezer-safe cups and sticks
- 1 Blender
- 1 Fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
For the Infused Simple Syrup (this is more than you need)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 sprigs tarragon
- 2 slices lemon, cut in half
For the Popsicles
- ½ cup Infused Simple Syrup you may want a bit more if your strawberries are tart
- 12 oz strawberries, preferably small ones, hulled and cut into quarters if larger, cut into eighths
Instructions
Make the Infused Simple Syrup
- Add the water and sugar to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add the tarragon and lemon slices
- Over low heat, slowly melt the sugar until disolved. Do not boil
- When the sugar is disolved, remove from heat. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Taste it. You should taste the tarragon and the lemon, but it shouldn't be overpowering
- Remove the tarragon. Squeeze the lemon juice into the simple syrup. For the portion you use for the popsicles, don't worry about straining. Any leftover simple syrup should be strained and kept in a covered container in the fridge (use it to make another batch!)
Make the Popsicles!
- In a blender, add the strawberries and the ½ cup of Infused Simple Syrup. Puree until smooth
- Using a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl (I used a 4-cup measuring cup), strain the strawberries, using a spatula or spoon to press down and get out the solids. It helps if you use a strainer larger than the one in the photos (I only have the one). If a little pulp falls in, that's OK, but removing the seeds will really help the texture. Discard the pulp. You should have just about 2 cups of liquid (it's OK if it's a bit under)
- Taste it. Keeping in mind that the popsicles will taste less sweet when frozen (science!), add a bit more of the syrup if you think it needs it.
- Pour into popsicle molds and add the sticks
- Freeze for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight
- To eat, dip the mold into warm water for a few seconds. Best enjoyed outside!
jean
long days,hot sun, summer breezes visited my mouth!!! totally delightful.
Sara Scott
So glad you enjoyed them! I love them, too.