Peach Raspberry Paletas {Ice Pops}

Peaches and raspberries blend in these peach melba ice pops to make a perfect fruit paleta with a coconut water base.




In the other room, there is a pet toad the size of a thimble that has escaped. I think. It is possible he has dug himself a hole, but some gentle probing suggests otherwise. This is not the first time he has scaled the walls of his prison-like enclosure to seek freedom beyond. My boys are running through the neighborhood with their friends, uncut hair trailing behind them. One daughter contemplates a pre-meet lunch in the kitchen, and the other is traipsing through the backyard, giving her friends a tour of the baby bird nests. A timer for kid-made chocolate chip cookies signals from the kitchen; the smell of flour, butter, and sugar browning fills the entire house.

Summer break is nearly over. Four small days separate me from the return of the school day.

I’m torn between looking forward to quiet workdays and thinking of all the summer things we failed to realize this year. We missed the museum and the zoo, and instead we ended up spending a lot of time biking or swimming when the sun was out and cloistered indoors practicing piano and reading books when it wasn’t. Still, I feel as if that thing I was grasping at, the fleeting summer bliss, remained just out of reach, and now it’s nearly time to chase the autumnal version with its candy-colored apples and sweet cider.

Perhaps it’s not so much that it was out or reach or even that it wasn’t realized, but that like all things worth pursuing, it encompasses more than can be accomplished in a single summer. The edges extend far beyond the confines of 11 weeks, leaving something to look forward to next year.

Whether you’re eagerly anticipating the promise of the new school year or sorrowfully waving adieu to summer, these peach raspberry paletas are the answer. Sweetened with fresh fruit, coconut water, and a bit of honey, they are equal parts hydration pops for a long weekend and sweet treat for sending off summer.

Peach Raspberry Hydration Paletas

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Fresh peach and raspberry-swirled pops with coconut water for extra

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Ingredients

• 4 peaches, peeled and halved with pits removed
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar (optional, adjust for ripeness of fruit)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the peach flesh, coconut water, honey, and lemon juice. Pulse until smooth. Pour the puree into a measuring cup, and scrape the bowl clean with a spatula.

Place the raspberries in the food processor and drizzle with honey. Pulse to combine and break up the fruit. Lumps are okay.

Fill popsicle molds halfway with the peach puree. Spoon in a tablespoon or so of the raspberries, follow with more peaches, and then another half tablespoon of peaches.

Add sticks and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Unmold and enjoy.

Notes

Paleta yield depends on size of your popsicle mold.