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Are you ready for frozen treats to cool and refresh you for summer? This has got to be one of the most ingenious and fun kitchen gadgets I have seen in a long time and I’m so excited to share the fun with you!
Our Zoku Duo Quick Pop Maker, cartons of our favorite 100% fruit juice and we experienced popsicle bliss after only 5 or 6 minutes!
How many of you have had the experience of making popsicles with your kids? Remember calling them in to help you and how excited and enthusiastic they were – filled with anticipation? Somebody helped to measure the sugar and someone else stirred the Kool-Aid. Then you stood by with a wash cloth and spray bottle of stain remover to catch the spills as they filled the tiny popsicle molds and inserted the sticks. Then you had the delightful chore of sounding incredibly excited while stating, “Now, we’ll put them in the freezer and TOMORROW when they’re frozen solid, we’ll have a yummy treat!” The deflated and disappointed expressions at that point were hard to take. Thanks to Zoku, that never has to happen, again! We tested their Duo Quick Pop Maker and froze delicious popsicles in minutes, on my kitchen counter, with nothing but 100% fruit juice!
Nothing could be simpler or faster when it comes to frozen treats! I had three cartons of 100% fruit juice and so Sunday evening, when the grandkids were ready for a treat at Grandma’s house, I pulled the Zoku out of the freezer and in minutes I rated pretty high on the Cool Grandma meter. 
The first thing to do after you receive your Zoku is to stick it in the freezer for 24 hours. We found that after it had been frozen solid, once, it didn’t require very long to refreeze, again, after making three batches of pops.
Once you’ve done the initial freeze, making the pops is simple! Set the Zoku on the counter, or any level surface, and insert pop sticks into the open cavities. Be sure the sticks are seated into the grooves designed for them on top of the Zoku.
There are grooves in the top of the Zoku, that allow the popsicle sticks to be firmly seated into the appliance.
Next add your juice or whatever liquid you will be using to make popsicles. (Carbonated beverages cannot be used in the Zoku, unless they have gone flat and no bubbles remain.) This is the point where creativity can go in a hundred different directions. You can fill the popsicle cavity completely and just wait a few minutes for your pop to freeze, OR you can fill it partially, allow that to freeze then add another layer, allowing that to freeze and then the final layer. The whole process took us about 12 minutes to freeze three separate layers and I place banana slices in the middle layer!
I found it was easier not to overfill the popsicle cavities, by pouring the juice into a container that would allow a narrower stream as I filled the Zoku. The cartons I purchased my juice in, were not conducive to filling the small opening, neatly. Using the measuring cup made it a breeze to fill!
The juice poured more easily from a measuring cup, than from the carton.
Fill the cavities to the level you want to start and as each level freezes, add the next layer. This picture shows the last layer, filled to the fill line and waiting to freeze. You can see the narrow ring of juice already beginning to freeze and form around the outside edges of each pop.
Pops freeze completely in about 7 minutes and layered pops take only a little more time. The cool thing is that after removing the first batch of pops, you can immediately turn around and freeze another batch. You can do two to three batches before needing to refreeze the Zoku.
Once frozen, I simply used the included Super Tool to take the pops out of the Zoku. The tool screws onto the popsicle handles, loosens the pop from the sides of the appliance, and lifts it out smoothly. Remove the tool from the pop handle and repeat with the second pop. Beautifully simple!
Did I mention before, that I bought three cartons of fruit juice, all different flavors, so we could make pretty layered pops? No one was more surprised than Grandma when each flavor was EXACTLY the same color! Even so, we could distinctly see the three different flavor layers, even if there was no difference in color. The banana slices were visible in the sides of the pops, too! This was cool, even for a Grandma who has seen about every kind of kitchen gadget you can imagine. I love the simplicity of this little machine!
I don’t need to plug it in or use batteries. I don’t have to have buy a box of 100 popsicles (with two flavors, about 40 of the 100, that no one will eat). I filled it with 100% fruit juice and fruit. It was a healthy snack and yet, satisfied the sweet tooth of the waiting grandkids and our ten-year-old. Plus, I have the versatility to make so many different types of pops — breakfast pops with yogurt, fruit, nuts or granola; dessert pops with pudding or custards, fruity snack pops like the ones we made this time. There are lots of fun options and the Zoku website can give you some excellent ideas and tips. And the Zoku blog is a wealth of recipe ideas — everything from these Spicy Mexican Chocolate Paletas, to simple Strawberry Lime Pops, or even very unique, grown-up frozen treats like Cucumber Mint Margarita Quick Pops.
If I had to select one thing I wish were different, I would have a Zoku with more cavities. Granted, the original does have three slots and they can be used up to three times before having to refreeze the Zoku, but five or six slots would allow you to freeze the number you need for a birthday party or large gathering all at once, and much more quickly. Given that I can make six dye- and preservative-free popsicles in around fifteen to eighteen minutes, though, you won’t hear much complaining from me! And Zoku has a Storage Case and extra Sticks and Drip Guards available, too, if you want to expand your pop-making ability.
Orange Banana Strawberry, Orange Banana Mango and Orange Banana Pineapple formed their own individual layers with banana slices "floating"in the center. Do you see the lines where one layers stops and the next one starts?
We will definitely be experimenting with other ingredients and trying out techniques and recipes from the Zoku blog, but in the meantime, we just enjoyed the simple refreshing treats from our first experience with Zoku!
Our granddaughter enjoying the very first popsicle made in our Zoku.
Enter this fun Zoku giveaway and you could be whipping up delicious and pretty frozen treats in your own kitchen, in no time! You must be 18 and a resident of the U.S. to enter. Visit Zoku online, check out the recipes on their blog and let me know which one you would most like to see demonstrated on Busy-at-Home. Leave a comment on this blog post with the name of the recipe. After you leave your comment, use the Rafflecopter form, below, to submit your entry and open the additional optional entries!
I received a Zoku Duo Quick Pop maker to test in my own kitchen and gather data for writing this review. A positive review was not required and no monetary compensation was received. The views and opinions expressed are wholly my own and based on my personal experience with the product.
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Cherries and cream quick pops sound delicious
That recipe is so eye-catching and pretty, too!
i would love to see the Berry Mojito Pops.
Spicy Mexican Chocolate Paletas
The apple pear and orange look really delicious!
the cherries-and-cream ones look amazing! { great giveaway }
Red, White and Blue quick pops looks so good and perfect for the 4th of July!
The red, white, and blue quick pops are cool. I love the stars in them.
I would love the see the shaped one!! how to you make it shaped like a heart?? And of course it is made out of chocolate fudge nonetheless!! make that one!!
I love the holiday themed pops
My daughter would love the Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops!
I think the cantaloupe mint recipe sounds delish!!!! But there were so many that I would try out, I think seeing you make the double rainbow recipe would be interesting and visually fun for the blog
The Cherries and cream pops!
Strawberry Lime Pops
I love the red white and blue pops
Make the ‘Red, White, & Blue Quick Pops’. We won’t mind if they don’t look perfect.
I am not sure where else to post this, but this is one of the best giveaways ever. I have read that these things are awesome.
Margot, once you post your blog comment, use the Rafflecopter form to submit your entry. Click DO IT! Then Click ENTER! That’s it. You can be finished or enter the other optional entries that pop up when this mandatory one is complete. Good luck!
My grandsons would love this!
The Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops look wonderful: http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/18154426418/caramel-popcorn-quick-pops
http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/10690671254/spicy-mexican-chocolate-paletas
That looks real good.
The Cucumber Mint Margarita!!
I like so many of them. I will pick this one-http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/9250637619/berry-mojito-pops
cheeries and cream pops looks good
tcogbill at live dot com
The Red, White and blue quick pops
cherries and cream quick pop
With Halloween only a few months away I would love you to make the Boo! Zoku Halloween Pops.
I would love to try these
Spicy Mexican Chocolate Paletas
Carmel Popcorn Quickpops!
Definitely the Berry Mojito Pops!
I would love to try Cherries & Cream Quick Pops
I would like to see you demonstrate the candy corn pops
Cucumber Mint Margarita pops!
Cherries and cream looks yummo!
The Red, White, & Blue Quick Pops would be a great demo for the 4th of July!
Red, White and Blue quick pops! How clever!
mmalavec(at)med(dot)umich(dot)edu
I would have to say the http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/18154426418/caramel-popcorn-quick-pops
Wow, they have some fancy pops on there! Some of them look really fun but the one that sounds like it tastes the best is the Berry Mojito Pops – I’d love to see you make those and see what you think of the taste!
The Red, White and Blue Quick Pops!
Cherries and Cream! I was just thinking last night how good fresh cherries sound.
The Cherries & Cream Quick Pops look yummy!
since the 4th is right around the corner, I think the http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/7053421329/red-white-blue-quick-pops recipe would be great to see you try out!
the Berry Mojito Pops
look good! thanks so much!
i know it’s a few months off but Red, White, & Blue Quick Pops because i love the stars!
What an amazing product – so many possibilities – besides the Red,White & Blue quick Pops that others have mentioned, I’d like to see Chocolate Covered Valentine’s Pops – very interested to know how difficult it is to get the hearts from the apple and what the end result looks like
the caramel popcorn quick pops
My kids LOVE Bomb Pops so the FIRST thing we would make is The Red, White and Blue Quick Pops!!
the carmel popcorn quick pops looks awesome & i would love to that demonstrated
pkeintz@gmail.com
Cherries & Cream Quick Pops, big time. That looks so delish!
I would love to see you make the Berry Mojito Pops!
I would love to see the Caramel popcorn quick pops!
I choose the Mother’s Little Helper – Mimosa Pops
mnrquick at yahoo dot com
Definitely the Berry Mojito pops..yum!
I like the Cherries & Cream Quick Pops.
I like the Cranberry Orange Pops.
jmesparza821(at)gmail(dot)com
I would like to see the holiday halloween ones
Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops seems tasty
The recipe I would most like to see demonstrated on Busy-at-Home is the Apple, Pear, and Orange Quick Pops.
Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops
email subscribed with thismomwins@yahoo.com
http://blog.zokuhome.com/post/1016100886/raspberry-limeade-layered-quick-pops
Raspberry limeade layered quick pops.
I would love to try the cherries and cream!!
jessicaahays at hotmail dot com
This would make our popsicle party SO much easier! Those silly molds you get at the store are hard to work with. Looks like FUN!
Spicy Mexican Chocolate Paletas! Mmm….
robisonDOTsaraATgmailDOTcom
I would like to see the Holiday pops
I would love to try the Cucumber Mint Margarita!
Spicy Mexican Chocolate Paletas
^ interesting!
Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops Looks GREAT! I would love to see that demonstrated!
cherry & cream quick pops!
Caramel Popcorn Quick Pops
WOW! I love the Boo! Zoku Halloween Pops…the character kit would help make great pops!
The cherries a cream quick pops look good
Apple, Pear, and Orange Quick Pops
I think the Cherries & Cream Quick Pops look yummy and easy.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
I want to try the cherries and cream ones.
kerrie@mayansfamily.com
The Berry Mojito Pops sound Yummy!
Cucumber Mint Margarita Quick Pops
Berry Mojito Pops
I would love to have Lemon Cream Zoku Pops or ANY of the Christmas pops demoed please!
Valentine Quick Pops
I’d like to see the Berry Mojito Pops.
THanks!
Michedt at yahoo dot com