Pomegranate–Yogurt Ice Pops
"The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook"
This dessert from JBF Award winner Salma Hage’s Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook pays homage to her native Lebanon, where its main ingredients are used in both sweet and savory dishes. Vibrant pomegranate juice is swirled in creamy lebneh to create a striking ombré effect, and natural ingredients mean this confection is nothing to feel guilty about.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup pomegranate juice
- 2/3 cup plain Greek-style yogurt or lebneh
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 vanilla bean
- Seeds from 1 pomegranate
Method
Pour equal amounts of pomegranate juice into 1/4 cup ice pop molds, filling each one halfway. Freeze for 1 hour, or until the juice is beginning to harden but is not completely frozen.
In a bowl, combine the yogurt or lebneh and honey. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl. Stir to combine.
Remove the molds from the freezer, push in the sticks, and top up with the yogurt mixture. To get a marbled effect, stir the pomegranate and the yogurt together briefly. Finish with a sprinkling of seeds. Return to the freezer for several hours, or until completely frozen.
To remove the ice pops from the molds, dip very briefly in hot water.
For a vegan-friendly option, replace the yogurt with unsweetened soy milk and the honey with agave.
Yield
6 ice pops
