Dessert of the Day-7/17 Watermelon Pops

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours

4 cups 3/4-in. chunks seedless watermelon
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1/4 cup mini–chocolate chips
1 pt coconut sorbet, softened
3 cups 3/4-in. chunks honeydew melon

1. You'll need twelve 3-oz ice-pop molds and wooden sticks.

2. Spread watermelon chunks in an even layer on a baking sheet. Freeze about 1 hour or until semi-frozen. Transfer to a blender, add 2 Tbsp each corn syrup and sugar, and purée until a thick slush forms. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Fill pop molds halfway with slush. Insert a stick into center of each, letting sticks extend 2 in. above top edge of molds. (Slush will support sticks without sinking; you won't need tops of molds.) Freeze molds 1 hour or until solid.

4. Carefully spoon sorbet (about 2 Tbsp in each mold) over watermelon layer, to simulate white watermelon rind. Freeze 1 hour or until hard.

5. Meanwhile spread honeydew chunks in an even layer on a baking sheet. Freeze about 1 hour or until semi-frozen. Transfer to a blender, add remaining 2 Tbsp corn syrup and sugar, and purée until a thick slush forms. Fill molds to top with honeydew slush. Freeze 4 hours or until hard.

6. To serve: Let pops stand at room temperature 3 minutes to soften slightly. Remove from molds. (If pops don't release easily, dip molds briefly in warm, not hot, water.)

Planning Tip: Freeze pops, individually wrapped in plastic wrap, in a plastic freezer bag up to 3 weeks.

From Woman's Day July 8, 2008