Poptails, the frozen alcoholic treat for adults!

Move over Pimm’s o’clock: When it comes to quenching summertime thirst, forget cocktails and forget ice lollies – and instead combine the two.  Poptails – or alcoholic ice lollies – for the uninitiated, are a speciality of chef Cesar Roden, grandson of famed Jewish food writer Claudia Roden, and his aunt (Claudia’s daughter) Nadia.

The pair began their gourmet ice lolly venture in New York seven years ago, before bringing Ice Kitchen to London in 2013. Now they have served up a dazzling array of show-stopping recipes in their latest book, from classic strawberry daiquiri and tequila sunrise to the more exotic flower garden, featuring champagne and orange blossom water, or mixed berries in Riesling.

Ice Kitchen: Poptails by Cesar and Nadia Roden, Quadrille Publishing, priced £12.99. Available now.

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TEQUILA SUNRISE

Orange, lime, grenadine, tequila

Makes 8–10

Tequila Sunrise was the drink that famously fuelled the Rolling Stones’ legendary 1972 American tour. Truman Capote reported on the tour, and on the drink, so contributing to its vogue. They must have been onto something because its warm ombré hues – the pinks, oranges and yellows – glow from within.

70ml/5 tablespoons water

100g/½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest

135ml/½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 4–5 limes)

450ml/scant 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from  about 5–6 oranges)

60ml/¼ cup tequila

1 teaspoon grenadine for each mould

For the garnish (optional): glacé cherry, and orange, lemon and green apple sliver for each

Put the water, sugar and lime zest in a small saucepan and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Mix together with the lime juice, orange juice and tequila.

Pour a teaspoon of grenadine into each mould and then very slowly dribble the orange and lime mixture gently down the inside of the mould, so as not to disturb the grenadine too much, filling the moulds and leaving a little space at the top.

Freeze until slushy, 60–90 minutes, then insert the sticks (try using cocktail sticks or thin wooden skewers so you can have fun layering the garnish before serving) and freeze until solid, at least 5 hours or overnight.

CAMPARI ORANGE

Orange, Campari, lime

Makes 8–10

The bittersweet combination of Campari and orange comes from the 1960s. It was originally named after the Italian hero Garibaldi, whose uniform colour resembled that of the cocktail. He had fought for the unification of Italy, and the cocktail represents that unification: the Campari from Milan and the oranges from Sicily. It’s one of our favourites. The recipe for Campari has been a closely guarded secret for more than 150 years. We know it’s made by infusing herbs and fruit in alcohol and water, and that the distinctive red colour was once derived from ground-up scales of cochineal insects – but you’ll be relieved to hear that’s not in the recipe any more.

60ml/¼ cup water

110g/½ cup granulated sugar

600ml/2½ cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 6–7 oranges)

80ml/¹/³ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3–4 limes)

90ml/6 tablespoons Campari

For the garnish (optional): sliver of orange for each

Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. Mix together with the orange juice, lime juice and Campari.

Fill the moulds, leaving a little space at the top. If you like, put a sliver of orange into the top of each.

Freeze until slushy, 60–90 minutes, then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, at least 5 hours or overnight.

PIMM’S ON A STICK

Pimm’s, mint, apple, orange, strawberries, cucumber, lemon

Makes 8–10

You don’t have to be an English “Hooray Henry” to enjoy this poptail; Pimm’s is still going strong after nearly 200 years. The chopped garnishes mingled with the lemonade and submerged in Pimm’s are a true expression of an English summer garden party. Re-dip into Pimm’s as you go.

250ml/1 cup water

100g/½ cup granulated sugar

15g/1 cup torn mint leaves

150g/5½oz sliced strawberries

60g/2oz thinly sliced apple

60g/2oz orange, peeled and thinly sliced

60g/2oz thinly sliced cucumber

60ml/¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)

120ml/½ cup Pimm’s

For the garnish (optional): mint leaf for each

Put the water and half the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Take off the heat, drop in the mint leaves and steep for an hour, or longer.

Meanwhile, put the strawberries, and apple, orange and cucumber slices in a bowl and stir in the rest of the sugar, the lemon juice and Pimm’s. Leave to macerate for 30 minutes or more.

Strain the syrup into the fruit and Pimm’s mixture, squeezing the mint leaves with your hands to extract their juices.

Pour the mixture into the moulds, making sure you divide the fruit pieces evenly and leaving a little space at the top. If you like, drop in a mint leaf.

Freeze until slushy, 60–90 minutes, then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, at least 5 hours or overnight. (See page 22 for the complete procedure.)