Zoku: A Space Age Popsicle Maker

I spent much time last summer attempting to perfect the popsicle. I purchased plastic containers at my local grocery store and tried to create the perfect, cheap, summer sucker for my son. I tried yoghurt blends, real fruit, juice, Kool-Aid, and anything else I could think of to freeze. Reluctant to use spray to line the plastic, I got very mixed, uneven results. My son wasn’t especially keen on anything I offered him, and it was a very messy, sticky experiment and so back to the pre-made we went.

This summer, I got it right. This summer is the summer of the Zoku. It sounds like something from a science fiction novel, it even looks the part, but the Zoku is an innovative piece of technology that has greatly added to our summertime fun. Without the use of electricity, the Zoku pop maker will freeze a popsicle in 7-9 minutes once you have simply frozen the base for 24 hours beforehand. Try as I might, I could not discover what this wonder product was that freezes liquid so easily__. The closest the Zoku website comes to revealing the contents are by saying that the "liquid refrigerant" is non-toxic, they are also keen to point out that the device is BPA free. Zoku is very tight lipped about its patent information, their PR company will only reveal that it uses patented heat exchanger technology that is combined with a proprietary non-toxic refrigerant.
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It really is quite amazing to watch the popsicle form. The first time we did it, my two and a half year old was transfixed by the ice slowly creeping across the juice, it was hard to keep him from poking it! If your child has the patience to watch, it truly is a unique experience, and despite the protestations of my friend's fourth grader, it is not like watching paint dry. After seven minutes we attached the "super" tool and my son turned it until it was tight. I then gave it a few more turns so that the popsicle lifted slightly. You can tell it has done this because the ice seal around the edge of the popsicle will change color slightly. We removed the tool and attached the drip guard, a quick pull and out came the popsicle, perfectly frozen, perfectly formed. It was a huge hit and we made two more that day. One of the great thing about these popsicles is that I know what they were made from. Instead of having three glasses of pure orange juice, he had three popsicles. He enjoyed it, got only slightly sticky, and I was happy with his nutrients for the day. My son loves orange juice anyway, but if you have trouble getting your child to drink certain things then this might be your solution. It also works with breastmilk if you want something cooling for your baby to suck on this summer.

Our second attempt was watermelon. I am not a huge fan of the texture of watermelon itself, but there really is nothing to beat it for refreshment in the summer. A quick whizz in my baby cooker, through the sieve to remove excess seeds, and into the Zoku went the juice. My son was less keen on the watermelon flavor, but my goodness was it refreshing. This will definitely be my go-to popsicle on hot days and I look forward to other fruits and smoothies being consumed in this manner. I would love to be one of those people who enjoys a wholesome smoothie in the morning, but while the flavor appeals, the thickness is not something I can easily stomach.

There is both a book and a blog where you can get alternative recipes for the Zoku, and there seems to be no end to what you can do if you have the wish for something a little more adventurous. The Zoku encourages natural ingredients. Artificial sweeteners do not freeze well, but agave nectar and honey work beautifully. Sugar free juices will not work with the Zoku, but most natural juices will freeze well. I am a little nervous about inserting fruit after last years failed attempts, but the thing that really intrigues me are the variations on a creamsicle. In England we call them strawberry splits, a juice crust to an ice-cream filling. My childhood favorite, this is something that I have to attempt. There are many recipes around for this kind of thing, but I believe I may have to puree some strawberries and go old school. I shall also be trying these feel-better pops from fellow Mainer Amanda Soule next time we have an upset tummy in the house.

So the device works easily, great. But how much effort does it take to maintain? I make waffles infrequently because I despise cleaning my waffle maker. The Zoku is amazingly simple, you just don’t clean it! Well it’s not quite that simple but almost. The advice given in the instruction booklet is that you not clean it after each use; that’s my kind of device. When it comes time to clean it, when all your popsicles seem stained with the remnants of the last one, simply defrost the base and clean with warm soapy water. It must be completely dry before re-freezing. The first time you use the single Zoku, you will need to freeze it for 24 hours, then you can make three popsicles before it needs to be refrozen. If you hear liquid when you pick it up, it isn't frozen enough.

Fill, set your timer and walk away, then don’t clean it. It really is that good.

I have already added the Zoku to my shopping list for several upcoming birthdays, so pleased am I with the results. I was provided with a Single Zoku to test out for this review.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X98HKo-1xkc[/youtube]