Cherry Orange Gummy Pops

Question: Does anyone remember those Timon and Pumbaa gummy popsicles?! Well I do, and I simply had to bring the sweet nostalgia of the 90s back into my life.

I have actually been wanting to make these for yearssss but I am sad to say that we live in a world where it is actually difficult, nay, impossible to come across tiny gummy bug candy. So I ended up having to compromise and cut gummy worms into tiny pieces, not as cool looking but they got the job done.

There is something magical that happens what you add otherwise revolting gummy candy to frozen desserts, their texture completely changes and you get a chewy, yet firm, little fruit flavored treat with every bite. I decided on orange and cherry because that was one of the original combo flavors but you could easily sub out your favorite fruits. I found that the addition of yogurt (preferably one with a high fat content) makes for a popsicle with a creamy consistency with less ice crystals. Also, if you want to use sugar instead of honey or agave nectar you should cook it down with the fruit on the stove top and then cool in order to melt the sugar.

Cherry Orange Gummy Pops

makes 8-10 popsicles

1 (8oz) bag of frozen dark sweet cherries
1/4 tsp almond extract
1-2 TBS honey (depending on how sweet you like it)
2 (5.3oz) vanilla yogurt cup (one for cherry, one for orange)
1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Splash of milk

1 package of gummy worms or gummy bugs if you can find them - I challenge you

1.In a blender, add cherries, honey, almond extract and yogurt and blend until smooth. you might have to add a little splash of milk if you're having trouble blending. Transfer to a bowl with a pour spout and set aside. Rinse out the blender,
2.For the orange, add orange juice, honey, vanilla, and yogurt blend until smooth, if you need some extra liquid for blending add a splash of milk or heavy cream.

To assemble:

1.Gather popsicle molds, add a couple of pieces of gummy candy then add a little bit of orange mix, followed by more gummy candy and then the cherry mix. Place in freezer until frozen (about 2 hours) to help release the pops from the mold, run warm water over the mold until it loosens up slightly.