Apologies for the lack of posts recently, I have been crazily busy working on several exciting design projects, which I’ll be sure to post about soon. Do you remember at school when summer used to be about endless holidays and completely carefree days? I’ve been a bit nostalgic for those times, when afternoons were spent swimming in the pool until your fingers were wrinkled and I got $0.50 on a hot day with which to buy an iceblock from the school tuck shop, trying to eat it as quickly as you could before it melted on your fingers.

I always picked the red one, and I guess things haven’t changed at all. These iceblocks are decidedly more grown-up, with watermelon, raspberries and gin for a delicious and refreshing frozen treat on a hot day. These were adapted from a recipe in the great feature on iceblocks in this month’s Gourmet Traveller. I made these in long skinny shot glasses but you could also use dariole moulds.

Whether you call them iceblocks, icy poles or popsicles, they are so easy to make, and you can get really creative with flavour/booze combinations, to suit everyone’s tastes. Just remember not to go too heavy on the alcohol or the iceblocks will not freeze properly. And if you’re making these for the kids, just omit the gin. They’re still totally delicious.

Watermelon, Gin & Raspberry Iceblocks
Makes about 12-15
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller

• ½ cup caster sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Half – 3/4 medium seedless watermelon
• Juice of half a lime
• ¼ cup gin
• Handful of raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, cut watermelon flesh into 4cm cubes. Process in a food processor and pass through a fine sieve to get 700ml juice. Stir in cooled sugar syrup, lime juice and gin.

Divide juice between shot glasses or dariole moulds and freeze for about 1 hour. After an hour, divide raspberries between iceblocks and return to the freezer for another hour, or until you can insert a paddle pop stick without it moving. Insert a stick into each ice block.

Freeze overnight or until firm. To serve, gently twist iceblocks from glasses, or run glasses under a little cool water to dislodge.