Pimm’s and Strawberry Ice Lollies
We’re in the second week of tennis at Wimbledon. I can’t in all honesty say it’s something I really get involved with other than I notice it’s all that’s on the BBC. I suspect it’s the scars of my childhood – my mum, sporty to the core, followed avidly from Queens onwards and I found it very annoying.
On the other hand, I’m very fond of strawberries which seems to be inextricably linked with the event. And cream. And love a glass of Pimms. Or two.
I read the other day that Pimms is now hopelessly uncool. Since I turned fifty on Tuesday I’m mentally preparing myself, as Jenny Joseph’s poem suggests, for the wearing of purple and the spending of my pension on brandy. I’m starting with drinking Pimm’s without shame and reclaiming the ice lolly. It was a short step to my putting the two together.
Why should the children have all the fun? Grown-ups need ice lollies, too.
These three strawberry specimens are mine. Mine, in that I grew them. I would like you to know I treat all my strawberries with an equal lack of attention and have absolutely no idea why they show such individuality. When they’re particularly small they are very ‘seedy’ and this is a brilliant way of making sure they don’t go to waste.
Chop the strawberries into pieces and let the lemonade go flat.
Put the chopped strawberries in a blender and some mint leaves. For some reason I’m growing micro mint and I used a couple of sprigs. If you have a usual sized mint leaf – about 8.
Give it a whiz.
Pass the purée through a fine sieve to remove the pips.
Then add the flat lemonade.
Pimm’s! Don’t go overboard. Too much alcohol will stop the lolly freezing well.
The sugar …
Reduce that at your peril. Sugar is a lubricant between the ice crystals. Not sure I entirely understand what’s going on, but it’s how you get a smooth lolly. Stir until all graininess has disappeared and then transfer to a jug.
Pour into your ice lolly moulds. Mine don’t have a top, so I freeze for an hour before I try and insert the lolly stick.
(You can use any freezable container – paper cups, yoghurt pots … The only thing you should watch out for is that the top is wider than the base or you’ll meet with disaster when you try and unmould it.)
After that initial freeze, I cover the mould with tin foil and push the lolly stick in. The foil just gives the stick a little more support.
When it comes to unmoulding my lollies, I wrap a warm tea-towel around the mould to loosen the lolly. Being as mine are silicone, I then push up from the bottom.
Eat.
Pimm’s and Strawberry Ice Lollies
10 x 80ml lollies
- 500g/1lb 2oz strawberries, hulled and cut into pieces
- 8 large mint leaves
- 50ml/2fl oz Pimm’s
- 250ml/9fl oz lemonade
- 100g/4oz caster sugar
Measure out the lemonade and allow to go flat.
Put the strawberries and the mint leaves in a blender and whiz to a purée. Sieve to remove all the pips.
Add the lemonade, the Pimm’s and the sugar to the smooth strawberry purée. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then transfer to a jug.
Pour the mixture into the ice lolly moulds and freeze overnight.
If using a lolly mould without a lid, freeze for an initial hour before inserting a stick. Foil placed over the top will give the lolly sticks more support.
To serve, wrap the mould in a warm tea-towel until the lolly has loosened.
Eat.