Frozen Summer Treats Using Pudding

This post is different than most, because it has two recipes instead of one. Both of them utilize pudding. I believe pudding is a very underrated food. It can lend flavor and moisture to baked goods, it can be used to make pie, and you can add Oreo dirt and gummy worms to make that adorable mud creation. Overall, I think pudding is useful, so I came up with two simple summer recipes using pudding. I'm sure it's been done before, but let's start out real easy: Pudding Pops.

Ingredients:
One large box pudding mix (made according to the box directions)

Yeah, it's one ingredient, but you will need some hardware.

Hardware:
3 oz paper cups
Popsicle sticks (these can be found in the craft section)

Spoon your pudding into the paper cups. Place a stick in each one, and freeze overnight, or until completely solid. Simple enough? Yeah, I thought so. You can use any flavor pudding you desire, you could even use vanilla, and dye it different colors, like red, white, and blue for the Forth of July. I have a giant tub of chocolate pudding mix, so that is what I used.

Frozen Pop.

When you are ready to serve, make a small cut in the paper cup, and then proceed to tear it off of the pudding pop. It is then ready for enjoyment!

Ready to Eat.

I know you are now all wondering "So, what happens if you give a 1-year-old a pudding pop?" Allow me to show you. It starts out okay.

Then it turns into a disaster.

It's a good thing I didn't actually make these for Juliet. I made them for my cousin-in-laws daughter, who had her tonsils out a few days ago. She is older than Juliet, and therefore shouldn't be as messy, I hope. Either way, let's hope they don't read this post until after I deliver the pops this afternoon.

Okay, moving on to the second recipe: Chocolate Pudding Ice Cream.

This recipe is also pretty simple, but it did actually take some reasoning skill to create.

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup chocolate pudding mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. The cocoa and pudding mix are not going to want to mix in very well, just do the best you can. Transfer the mixture into your ice cream machine, and churn according to your machine. If you want to add the chocolate chips, do so about 20 min into mixing. Once your ice cream machine considerably slows, or stops churning altogether, you can do one of two things. Consume now for soft serve ice cream, or transfer to a freezer-safe bowl and freeze for at least four hours. This will give you a more traditional ice cream texture. If you plan on freezing, transfer the mixture and get it in the freezer right away, this will help to prevent too large of  ice crystals from forming, which is not very pleasant.


I actually doubled this recipe when I made my ice cream, and, in my machine, it went perfectly to the fill line. I ate ice cream both as soft serve, and as a traditional treat, but I only have picture of the traditional

Eating Ice Cream in my Jammies.

I hope you enjoy your summer pudding treats!