Zoku Blog:

With strawberry season quick approaching, there is no better way to use these red gems than in Fresh Strawberry-Lime Quick Pops. Bursting with the bright and sweet flavors of spring, these Pops will make winter a distant memory. 

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS
10 ounces fresh strawberries; stems removed, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons sugar (*more if necessary)
1 teaspoon lime zest
½ cup water
3 ounces limeade; divided use 

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. In a blender, puree strawberries, sugar, lime zest, and water, until smooth, set aside.
2. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks.
3. Pour 1 ounce strawberry puree into each Zoku Quick Pop cavity. Allow this layer to freeze completely.
4. Next pour ½ ounce limeade into each cavity. Allow this layer to freeze completely.
5. Finally pour another layer of the strawberry puree up to the fill line in each cavity. Allow this layer to freeze completely.
6. Remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops. 

* Adjust the amount of sugar based upon the sweetness of your berries. Strawberries from local farms tend to have a much sweeter and true berry flavor than those found in the supermarkets. We recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible.

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS

9 ounces orange juice; divided use

For the cranberry sauce:
6 ounces fresh cranberries (about 1 1/3 cup)
4 ounces orange juice (½ cup)
½ cup granulated sugar
zest of one orange

MAKE THE CRANBERRY-ORANGE BASE

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in ½ cup orange juice. Stir in the fresh cranberries and cook until the cranberries begin to pop (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours.
2. Remove Cranberry-Orange Sauce from the refrigerator and place into a blender. Add in 6 ounces of orange juice and blend until smooth (mixture will be slightly thick). 

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour about ¾ ounce of cranberry-orange base into each cavity; allow layer to freeze completely.
2. Pour ½ ounce orange juice into each cavity directly on top of the cranberry-orange layer; allow layer to freeze completely.
3. Pour another layer of the cranberry-orange base up  fill line in each cavity (approximately ¾ ounce per pop); allow layer to freeze completely.
4. Remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.

And the award goes to…the Zoku Quick Pop Maker!

We are honored for this distinction and recognition from the International Housewares Association. We’d like to thank our families for always being there and encouraging us, our brilliant engineering and design teams, and finally our fans for their support.

Thank you!

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS

For the Strawberry Base
6 ounces strawberries
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

For the heart accents
Using the heart stencil from the Zoku Tool Kit, cut out desired number of hearts from a thin slice of apple.

For the Quick Shell
2/3 (4oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) refined coconut oil

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE QUICK SHELL
In a double boiler over barely simmering water, whisk together the chocolate and coconut oil until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool completely before applying to pops. Yields 3/4 cup of Quick Shell.

MAKE THE STRAWBERRY BASE

1. In a blender, combine strawberries, heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and sugar. Blend until thoroughly combined and smooth.

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Using the Zoku Fruit Wand or tweezers, apply the apple hearts to the walls of the pop maker molds.
2. Insert sticks and pour the strawberry base to the fill line.
3. Let freeze completely, remove the pops with the Super Tool.
4. Repeat with remaining pops.

ADD THE QUICK SHELL

1. Hold a pop flat side facing up, use a small spoon to drizzle Quick Shell onto the pops.
2. If desired, add festive sprinkles to the Quick Shell while it is still wet.
3. Wait a few seconds for the shell to harden and do the same to the other side.
4. Enjoy!

The Zoku Quick Pop Maker has been selected as a winner in Good Housekeeping’s Third Annual Very Innovative Products (VIP) Awards. Zoku was featured alongside Apple’s iPad, Dyson’s Air multiplier and Method’s laundry detergent to name a few. 

According to Good Housekeeping:

“These awards represent an outstanding achievement, as they are chosen from thousands of products and the result of consumer evaluation and laboratory testing by the scientists in the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI). Our VIP Award winners are products that are ingenious breakthroughs and solve everyday problems in new and exciting ways. Evaluations for our VIP Awards span many months and the results are published in the February 2011 issue of Good Housekeeping.”

Thanks Good Housekeeping, we’re honored!

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS

For the Peppermint Base:
6 ounces vanilla yogurt
8 ounces milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

For the garnish:
Crushed candy canes
Green or red candy melts
Various holiday nonpareils

MAKE THE PEPPERMINT BASE

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vanilla yogurt, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extracts until throughly combined. 

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour the peppermint base into each cavity until you reach the fill line. Let freeze completely and remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.
2. To decorate, melt candy melts according to package directions. Drizzle melted chocolate over the pops and sprinkle with crushed candy canes and/or various holiday nonpareils. 

Introducing Zoku’s Quick Pops Recipe Book! Our book will help you master the art of creating Zoku Quick Pops faster than ever! With over 40 quick and delicious recipes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We’ve also included Zoku’s original pop making techniques, decorating ideas, and tips to inspire our fellow Quick Pop enthusiasts to create their own unique recipes. Grab your pop maker, get popping, and “Watch it Freeze!” We posted a sample recipe from the book below.

Available now in the Zoku Shop

PINK MOJITO
Ice pops may bring out the kid in you, but you’ll feel sophisticated while savoring this cocktail-inspired pop. Surprisingly, even grapefruit skeptics are won over by this recipe.

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS 

2/3 cup (5 1/2 oz) water
3 tablespoons sugar
7 fresh mint leaves
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9 oz) pure pink grapefruit juice (store-bought or about 2 grapefruits, juiced)

MAKE THE MINT SYRUP

In a small saucepan over medium–low heat, combine the water, sugar, and fresh mint leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a medium bowl.Refrigerate until cool.

MAKE THE POP BASE

Stir together the cooled mint syrup and grapefruit juice. When juicing grapefruit, remove as much as the rind and inner white pith as possible to prevent bitter tasting juice.

 ASSEMBLE THE POPS 

1. Insert sticks into the pop maker molds and pour the pop base until you reach the fill line.  
2. Let freeze completely, then remove pops with the Super Tool and enjoy! Repeat with remaining pops.

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS 

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¾ cup (6 ounces) milk
¼ cup (2 ounces) heavy cream

MAKE THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE BASE

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant espresso granules with the water until granules have dissolved completely.
2. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, milk and heavy cream until thoroughly combined and smooth.
3. Chill mixture (if not chilled, pops will take longer to freeze)

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Insert sticks and pour the pumpkin spice latte base until you reach the fill line.
2. Let freeze completely, then remove the pops with the Super Tool.
   
3. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Makes 6 Pops 

INGREDIENTS

½ cup Greek Vanilla Yogurt
2/3 cup whole milk (about 5 ounces)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
3 ounces orange juice
yellow food coloring
orange food coloring

MAKE THE BASE COLORS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, agave, and clear vanilla extract until thoroughly combined and smooth.
2. Remove 3 ounces of the mixture; set aside for white layer.
3. Add orange juice to the remaining base and divide the base in half separating into two different bowls.
4. Dye one bowl of the base yellow and the other bowl of base orange.

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove the Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour ¼ ounce white base into each cavity; allow layer to freeze completely.
2. Pour ¾ ounce orange base into each cavity directly on top of the white layer; allow layer to freeze completely.
3. Pour yellow base up to the fill line in each cavity (approximately ¾ ounce per pop); allow layer to freeze completely.
4. Remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.

For tips on making neat layers click here

Summer is finally over, and we’re enjoying some cooler weather (for a change!) Here’s the perfect Zoku recipe for a fall day.

Yields 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces apple cider
4 tablespoons caramel sundae syrup; at room temperature
4 tablespoons Greek vanilla yogurt
6 thin apple slices (approximately 1/8 inch thick) optional

MAKE THE CARAMEL APPLE BASE

In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider, caramel syrup, and yogurt until thoroughly combined and smooth.

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

Using the Zoku Fruit Wand, apply the apple slices to the walls of the pop maker molds. Insert sticks and pour the caramel apple base until you reach the fill line. Let freeze completely, then remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.