The Papaya Breeze Frosé Poptail ~ this deliciously easy frozen cocktail on a stick is the height of summer elegance. It’s your favorite wine slushie in popsicle form, delish!
I’m kicking off the unofficial start of summer with a whole week of new popsicle recipes, tips, useful links, and DAILY GIVEAWAYS. Homemade popsicles are so incredibly versatile I need an entire week to explore all the reasons why you NEED these in your life this summer. I’m dedicating each day this week to a different kind of popsicle, and today it’s poptails! Sort of a silly name for such a transcendent idea, but if you’re over 21, you’ll want to keep reading…And don’t forget to leave a comment at the end of the post to be automatically entered to win a different giveaway every day! (details below)
If you’ve never thought of popsicles an an adult indulgence, you’ve got some catching up to do. On a sweltering evening, a cocktail on a stick can be the best way to kick back with friends. You can pattern your poptail after a classic cocktail, or forge new territory by artfully spiking almost any popsicle recipe. One thing to remember — It’s a sad fact that alcohol freezes at a much lower temperature than water, so a true frozen cocktail is impossible to achieve. But you can add about 20-25% alcohol to a popsicle recipe with good results. Alternatively you can use a lower alcohol content beverage like wine. These Papaya poptails are proof that popsicles can be deliciously frosty, elegant…and alcoholic. Nice to know.
This cross between a popsicle and a cocktail is made with equal parts papaya and rosé wine. The marriage results in a not too sweet, not too overpowering frozen treat worthy of the most enchanting summer evening. I loved this one, and I think it would be so perfect for an elegant party. The texture was perfect, and the wine flavor came through nice and strong.
Popsicles are a great way to enjoy unusual fruits, fruits that you’ve seen at the market but don’t buy because you don’t have a clue what to do with them. Tropical fruits like papaya have a mellow, exotic flavor and creamy texture. They puree to a super smooth texture, and freeze beautifully.
I like to serve poptails in some kind of glass. It reinforces the cocktail theme, and it gives people a place to set their poptail down if they want to take it slow.
The Papaya Breeze Poptail
Ingredients
- 1 medium, ripe papaya
- rose wine, or white wine of your choice
Instructions
- Peel the papaya, and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the seeds, and any stringy pith, with a spoon. Give it a rough chop.
- Puree the fruit in a blender or food processor.
- Mix about 1 1/2 cups puree with an equal amount of rose. Stir well to combine.
- Pour the mixture into your popsicle mold. Cover the top of the mold with foil, Flattening out the top with your hands so you can see the outline of each mold. Insert a popsicle stick into the center of each mold. Freeze until solid, 4 -5 hours, or overnight.
- To un-mold the pops, fill your sink with hot tap water. Immerse the mold up to by not past the top rim. Hold for 15 seconds, then remove from the water and slip the popsicles out. If they don't budge, immerse the mold for another 15 seconds.
If you are using hard alcohol, keep your alcohol content to 20% of your total liquid in your poptail recipe. Use darker rums, liqueurs, and flavored vodkas in poptails for the best flavor payoff. With wine, you can go as high as 50%.
Be sure to keep poptails out of reach of children.
For tons more popsicle inspiration, follow my POPSICLE PINTEREST BOARD
And here are a few of my favorite alcoholic popsicles from other blogs (if I missed your favorite, link it up in the comments!) —
Mint Julep Pops from Honesty YUM
Costa Rican Watermelon Mojito Popsicles from The Boulder Locavore
Pimm’s Cup Popsicles from Shutterbean
Cantaloupe, Basil and Lillet Popsicles from Reclaiming Provincial
Pomegranate Merlot Popsicles from 52 Kitchen Adventures
Mudslide Cocktail Popsicle from Bakers Royale
Irish Coffee Ice Pops from Souvlaki for the Soul
The colour of these popsicles is pure summer! Stunning!!
Papaya is one of my favorite fruits and rose wine sounds like a delicious dovetailing of tastes. Can’t wait to try…
I’m a recent convert to papaya, and I love it!
How wonderful you’ve put all these Popsicle recipes in one place. Thank you.
These sound so interesting and look beautiful!
Pop tail fun! Who doesn’t want one of these!
These sound absolutely yummy and will be a hit with my ‘Las Mujeres Supper Club’. I’m interested in seeing a lime Popsicle recipe as you can dunk these into glasses of red wine and feel like you’ve been transported to heaven.
Keep these wonderful recipes coming!
Yikes that sounds amazing, I’ll work on one!
So fun! We are having a girls weekend and these will be perfect!
My husband didn’t respond to the papaya/rose combination, (what does he know) but I’m telling you, it was really lovely!
How fun…perfect for summer evenings with friends. Now if it would only turn warm here in New England. 🙂
These poptails look so amazing. I can’t wait to give them a try. Now I have to find time to run out and buy the popsicle molds! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
HOW CUTE ARE THESE!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m loving that almost coral color of the poptails! I loveeee papayas and mixing them up with rose wine is just WHOAAAAAA!!!!! Making these! <3