Soft Frozen Lemonade Pops

It's too darn hot.

I'm melting.  

And since it seems like there is no end in sight for this Florida summer, I'm going to eat popsicles.

These pops are inspired by one of my childhood food fads - Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade Pops.

I was nuts for these pops. Sweet, tart and creamy - the perfect cross between a lemon ice and a lemon ice cream. The perfect way to end a summer day.

I recently remembered them and decided to swing through the ice cream novelties section to pick some up. I unconsciously looked at the nutrition facts/ingredients list, and I thought, I can do better than that.

Guys, we did pretty well here.

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sugar, yogurt, water. Tha'sit.

The yogurt is key because it creates a creamy melt as opposed to an icy melt. Don't try to one-up me on healthiness here, though - make sure there's some fat in your yogurt. I experimented with a fat-free version and the pops left a weird film on the roof of my mouth and the back of my tongue. Don't risk the same fate! Fat's good for you.

Poor pops, you're melting too. I hear summer only lasts for like, four more months, though.

Soft Frozen Lemonade Pops

makes 6 pops

Ingredients

1 cup lemon juice (5 or six lemons)

2 cups water

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (any fat content is fine, just not fat free)

1 cup sugar

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, water yogurt and sugar. Whisk until fully combined. It should have a consistent milky white color.

Pour liquid into mold, leaving a little room at the top for the pops to expand. If you are using a traditional pop mold, place in freezer for an hour before inserting the sticks so that they stand straight up. Continue to freeze the pops for another 4-5 hours. Unmold and transfer to plastic bags for storage or serve immediately.

Note: The sticks and the mold clip together on my mold, so I just put the sticks on immediately and freeze for about 6 hours.