Strawberry shortcake ice cream bars are healthy, amazingly delicious and easy. Mouth watering creamy, intense berry flavor from slow roasted berries, deliciously sweet with a crumbly topping. Your childhood frozen treat with better nutrition. Great for kids.
Rinse the strawberries and pat them dry. Cut them in halves and place them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes until they become soft and bubbling with thick juices. Take it out of the oven and let the berries chill completely.
Using a food processor or a blender, puree the roasted berries, dates and lemon zest (if using blueberries), until very smooth and set aside.
Take chilled yogurt, frozen banana chunks, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a food processor and process until soft, fluffy and creamy. Use the pulse action if needed. The mixture should be a bit sweeter than your preference, as the sweetness will lower after freezing. If necessary add some honey or maple syrup.
Spoon yogurt-banana mixture and berry mixture randomly into a container with a spout. Swirl once with wooden skewer or any pointed utensil to create a marble pattern.
Then divide the mixture into the popsicle molds leaving some room for it to expand on the top. Close the top of the popsicle molds or insert sticks as applicable. Tip: Alternatively, you may stir the berry puree into the yogurt mixture completely before dividing it into the molds.
Freeze the strawberry popsicle bars overnight or at least 6 hours until completely frozen.
Pulse and process the shortbread cookies until coarse. Take some of it aside and add the freeze dried strawberries and pulse to a fine crumb stage. Combine with the coarse shortbread crumbs and spread it all in a thin layer on a flat baking sheet.
Release the popsicle bars from the mold by running it under hot water. Dip the soft surface of the ice cream bars into the cookie crumbs and press gently to coat evenly on all sides.
Place the shortbread crumb coated popsicles on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes until completely frozen.
Store in the freezer for 3 to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
Notes
Choose thick Greek style yogurt that is not “tart”.
Chill all the ingredients and freeze the banana slices very well.
Popsicle mixture should be thick and chilled before pouring it in molds. If the mixture becomes thin, semi-freeze it and give a quick stir and then transfer to the molds.
Preferably use whole grain shortbread cookies prepared with whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour or rice flour based cookies.
Freeze dried berries are affordable and easily available at Wal-Mart, online, whole foods and healthy food stores.
Nutrition facts based on ready made standard shortbread cookies.