When the days get hot, what could be more refreshing than tasty homemade popsicles?
Want to put it on? Being able to make your own specialty popsicles with the wholesome ingredients you choose, customizing them in taste and look even with pieces of fruit or fruit juice instead of industrial syrup… You can even make vegan specialties!
Once they’re ready, however, you’ll have to unmold them. And we know it’s not an easy task. That’s why we created this little guide to understand how to take the popsicles out of the mold without ruining them a bit!
Why don’t the popsicles come out of the molds?
There are several reasons that make it difficult to remove your popsicles from the molds.
It may happen that…
- the sticks are not sturdy enough to support the weight of the popsicle. So, when you take them out you are left holding the stick, while the popsicle remains in the mold.
- you have allowed the stick to protrude too much from the mold. For this reason, when you pull the stick, you will see it slipping away from the popsicle, which obviously does not follow it.
- you have extracted the popsicle too early. If it is not perfectly compact, some parts will remain attached to the mold
- you have not created a well balanced mixture, which does not freeze evenly or does not freeze at all
How to remove popsicles from the mold
Ok, now that we have analyzed the reasons why popsicles don’t want to come out of the mold, it’s time to understand what is the most effective method to perform this delicate operation and enjoy perfectly intact specialties.
Below we present you how to detach the popsicles from the mold:
Hot water
This is the most intuitive and practical method and is based on the cold/hot thermal contrast. There are two valid methods for using hot water without the risk of damaging the structure of the popsicle. Choose one or the other based on the type of mold you have available.
- Single Mold:
If you’ve used single popsicle molds, the most effective way to extract the product is to open the faucet and place each container under hot water:
- turn the mold upside down with the popsicle and rotate it slowly so that all its parts come into contact with the hot water
- be careful not to let the water enter the mold in order to avoid… completely melting your popsicle
- after a few seconds, turn the mold upside down again and try to gently pull the stick. If the popsicle slides out easily, mission accomplished!
- Multiple molds:
In the case of a multiple molds, you can proceed as follows:
- take a bowl of generous size and fill it with hot water
- immerse the mold in the bowl, being careful not to let the water get into it
- after about half a minute take the mold out of the bowl and dry it quickly to avoid getting it wet everywhere
- at this point the extraction of the popsicles should be done smoothly
Room temperature
If you’re not particularly in a hurry to enjoy your popsicle and your kids have the patience to wait, you can also do it this way:
- place a towel on the work surface
- remove the mold from the freezer
- place the mould on the worktop
- leave them in this position for about ten minutes
- try to gently pull the stick: if you feel that the popsicle does not come out, leave it on the work surface for a few more minutes
You can proceed the same way to unmold the cakes from the parfait molds
Body heat
Who knows how many times you have taken the mold out of the freezer and found the popsicle sticks lying on their side.
To overcome this inconvenience you have several ways to go.
- Don’t put them on right away:
Once you’ve poured your popsicle recipe mixture into the molds, wait to add the sticks. Place the mold with just the mixture in the freezer and wait three-quarters of an hour.
After this time has passed, the mixture will have started to compact, even if it’s not frozen yet. You can then add the sticks, which will keep perfectly straight throughout the entire freezing process.
- Lock them with clips:
Get some paper clips and clip them all around the stick – impossible for it to move!
- Use foil
Food wrap is your invaluable ally for a multitude of kitchen jobs, including making perfect popsicles:
- spread a layer of foil along the entire opening of the mold
- stretch it to eliminate any wrinkles
- make small cuts in correspondence to the points where the sticks will be inserted
- insert the sticks and put the mold in the freezer
How to store popsicles
If you like to have a stash of popsicles always on hand in the freezer, it’s best to remove them from the molds once they’re ready. Otherwise, as time passes, the ice tends to “burn”, making your specialty less appealing.
It is therefore advisable to follow these steps:
- remove the popsicles from the molds using one of the methods we have described
- place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper
- place the tray with the popsicles back in the freezer for about twenty minutes
- remove the tray from the freezer
- place the popsicles in a freezer bag or in an airtight container.
This will keep them at their best for a couple of days.
If you want to extend the shelf life, wrap each freshly unmolded popsicle in plastic wrap (place them in popsicle bags) and then follow all the steps above. Doing so will keep them for a couple of weeks.
Enjoying a homemade popsicle in the middle of summer is always a source of immense pleasure. Provided, however, that it is served impeccably. This means that you must be able to take it out of the mold without ruining it.
There are several methods to succeed in this endeavor. We have described them in this article in detail so you can find your favorite!
