In our column Fake It or Make It we test a homemade dish against its prepackaged counterpart to find out what's really worth cooking from scratch.
By Elizabeth Gunnison, Bon Apptit
Here we are, people, deep in the dregs of summer. It's time to pull out every weapon we have against the heat: sprinklers, sun tea, and ice pops.
But especially ice pops.
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As a kid I must have eaten a popsicle every day of the week from May to September (favorite flavor: cherry). I'm not ashamed to admit that as an adult I still enjoy them frequently. The question now is--should I go to the trouble of making them at home, or will the store-bought version do?
The Contenders
Bon Appetit's Strawberry-Blueberry Pops vs. Edy's Strawberry Fruit Bars
As the story goes, ice pops were invented in 1905 when 11 year-old Frank Epperson left a stirring stick outside in his soda overnight, the temperature dropped, and he found it the next morning as a frozen treat on a stick. 18 years later Epperson began selling the creations, named them Popsicles, and--well--they really caught on. While Epperson's brand is still alive and kicking, "popsicle" has since become the generic name for any frozen liquid (typically, fruit juice) on a stick, and they are commonly homemade using everything from plain ice cube trays and toothpicks to purpose-built ice pop molds.
Relative Costs
Roughly the same. Edy's Strawberry Fruit Bars go for $4.49 for a package of six on Peapod.com, which works out to 75 cents per bar. I spent about $9 in on ingredients to make eight homemade bars--or $1.13 per bar.
Relative Healthfulness
Slight edge to homemade, but largely because we chose a healthy brand. The from-scratch pops contain just pureed fruit with a touch of sugar, a formula that's hard to beat. The Edy's recipe is aided by a few additives, but they go out of their way to keep the pops "All-Natural," using carob bean gum as a stabilizer and beet and turmeric extracts as coloring agents, in lieu of more traditional chemical-based additives.
Time Commitment
Twenty-five minutes of active time pureeing the fruit, plus about two hours in the vicinity of my kitchen to layer the fruit purees (a neat effect, but can be omitted if you're short on time). Allow them to freeze overnight.
Leftovers Potential
Considerable on both counts. Both the Edy's and the homemade will be good to eat for several weeks, and safe to eat (albeit possibly slightly freezer-burned) for several months.
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What The Testers Said
First let me introduce our panel.
THE HEALTH NUT
A delicate eater, the health nut is calorie conscious but also likes to eat well
THE FOODIE
Calorie agnostic, our foodie judge has a sophisticated palate and a love of cooking
THE DUDE
Ambivalent toward food trends and health concerns, this guy just wants to be fed when he's hungry
THE KID
Between ages of 9 and 12 years old, not jaded, typically not into strong flavors
The testers sampled both ice pops blind. Everyone noticed a difference in texture between the two bars: the homemade bar melted into flakier ice, compared to Edy's syrupy, "gooey" consistency when melting. The Edy's was also roundly described as being the sweeter option.
The Health Nut: Homemade; "I feel like I'm actually eating fruit with this one."
The Foodie: Homemade; "The store-bought doesn't taste like anything except sugar."
The Kid: Store-bought. "I like the chunks of strawberry in this bar."
The Dude: Homemade. "This one tastes like a frozen smoothie."
The Verdict
Make it. Luckily, ice pop season happens to coincide with the growing season for all kinds of delicious berries, melons, and stone fruits, which means you have great popsicle ingredients at the tips of your fingers. It's fun to experiment with different fruits and flavorings, and investing just half an hour will yield a homemade treat that keeps you and your family both cool and healthy.
More from Bon Appetit:
• 25 One-Bite Appetizers
• Bon Appetit’s Favorite Grilling Recipes
• Summer Salads Slideshow
• 15 Amazing Ice Cream Pies and Cakes
Photo by: Elizabeth Gunnison
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