Come Party With Me: Father's Day — Dessert

June 17, 2009

While planning a Father's Day menu, the most important thing to do is ask dad what he wants. The day will be more special if you involve him in the process. Since my dad is a fan of no-fuss classic cuisine, I originally thought to serve him homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge sauce for dessert.

Then I came across this recipe for vanilla chocolate popsicles and knew I had to make them! When I was little, my dad and I would often share Klondike bars, so making this variation will recreate the memories. While it's simple, the recipe requires time: get started on Friday at the latest. To look at the technique, read more.

From Martha Stewart Kids

Snowy Peak Pops

Ingredients

2 pints vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
9 ounces semi- or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup white nonpareils
Styrofoam block or floral foam

Directions

Fill eight 2-ounce pop molds with the ice cream. Insert a wooden pop stick into each. Transfer to freezer, and freeze until hard; overnight is best.
Place a heatproof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over a pan of simmering water. Add the chocolate, and stir with a rubber spatula until almost melted.
Remove bowl from heat, and continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Continue to stir occasionally until the melted chocolate is cool to the touch but still fluid, about 8 minutes.
Pour nonpareils into a wide bowl. Unmold the pops one at a time, and dip in the room-temperature chocolate once or twice to coat. Let excess chocolate drip off over bowl, then quickly dip the pop in the nonpareils. Press lightly to adhere.
Set pops upright by inserting their sticks into Styrofoam block. Return to freezer to set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Uncoated pops will keep in their molds for 2 weeks. Once dipped, the pops will keep in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Makes 8.

Come Party With Me: Father's Day — Dessert