Iced fruit pops

Freshly crushed fruit and juice frozen in popsicle containers make refreshing summer ice pops — and you know they are not full of sugar and colorings!

* Makes 4 to 6 (depending on size of molds)

• 1 1/2 cups grated or puréed fresh fruit (pineapple, peach, mango)
• sugar to taste
• 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) orange juice concentrate

Mix the puréed fruit with the sugar and orange juice. Freeze in popsicle containers until partly frozen. Stir once to mix the fruit around, then refreeze until almost set.

Place a popsicle stick in the center of each pop and freeze until hard.

Eat straight from the freezer. Preferably eat as soon as possible or freeze for no more than 1 month in covered containers.

Variations:

• Iced raspberry crush pops

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the fruit with crushed raspberries and the orange juice with raspberry juice, cranberry juice, or raspberry cordial (for an adult version).

• Iced black & blueberry pops

When preparing the basic recipe, replace the fruit with crushed and strained ripe blackberries and black currants and the orange juice with blueberry juice (or cassis for an adult version).

• Iced bananas & cream pops

Prepare the basic recipe, using 1 1/2 cups mashed or puréed bananas, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice.

• Iced strawberry milk pops

Follow the basic recipe, using crushed strawberries (strained if you wish) and milk instead of juice. Add sugar and vanilla to taste.