With some peak season concord grapes in her hand and a Snoop Dogg song in her heart, Emily Spurlin, the pastry chef at Chicago's Bad Hunter, started experimenting with boozy ice-pop ideas last summer, settling on a Gin and Juice treat. (For the record, apple and other juices would work well too.) Alcohol won’t freeze solid, so you can only use so much if you want your popsicles to stay frozen. Her trick? Infusing simple syrup with juniper berries to dilute the booze, which amps up gin flavor without getting you wasted. Each popsicle contains only about 2 fl. oz of gin, which means this grownup goody won’t melt any faster than the average pop. Here's how to make a batch of 10:
Toast ¼ cup juniper berries in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant and skins are very glossy, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, then crush with a mortar and pestle (or, place in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin). Transfer berries to a small saucepan. Add ⅓ cup sugar and ¼ cup water and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes. Strain juniper syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Place bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and let juniper syrup sit, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 30 minutes.
Stir juniper syrup, 2 cups chilled Concord grape juice, ¼ cup gin, and 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice in a large measuring glass or a medium pitcher; taste and add more lime juice if needed. Divide mixture among ten 2-oz. ice-pop molds and freeze until liquid is beginning to crystallize, about 1 hour. Cover and insert sticks (waiting until liquid is slushy ensures straight sticks), then freeze ice pops until solid, at least 4 hours but preferably 12 hours. Dip molds briefly in hot water to release pops.
You can make these ice pops 1 week ahead, as long as you keep them frozen (duh). And remember, an ice pop is only as good as its mold. Onyx makes these stainless-steel stunners in a set of six Grab a couple sets and get your popsicle buzz on all summer long.
