Jiggly Shark Pops Recipes

JIGGLY AQUARIUM POPS

Steps:

• Bring the soda, blue drink and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the gelatin, whisking continuously until dissolved. Pour the gelatin mixture into a medium bowl and refrigerate until it just begins to thicken (it should be thick, but still liquid and pourable), about 1 hour.
• Slice the pound cake into eight 1/4-inch-thick slices. Remove the push parts of eight 7 1/4-inch-tall pushable pop molds from the tubes. Push the circle side of each mold into the cake slices to make a circle that fits snugly in the mold. Return the push part to each tube. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the tiny crunchy candy into each mold.
• To make the seaweed, fold each licorice piece in half and then twist the folded part so that the 2 ends are sticking up and resemble aquarium seaweed.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the gelatin mixture in a small microwave-safe bowl. Using the remaining mixture, fill each mold halfway (about 1 1/2 tablespoons). Press a piece of licorice seaweed into each mold. Press in 2 fish per mold. Fill each mold the rest of the way with the gelatin mixture (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), leaving about 1/4 inch at the top; tap to remove any air bubbles. Microwave the reserved gelatin mixture until liquid, about 30 seconds. Spoon 1 teaspoon into each mold and refrigerate until completely set, about 3 hours.

SHARK BANANA POPS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Hold a banana half cut-side down and carve a wedge from the top part of the curved side to make a gaping shark's mouth. Insert an ice pop stick into the cut end and lay the banana on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with each banana half. Freeze the bananas until solid, about 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Line another baking sheet with parchment. Draw three 3-inch circles on the parchment and flip over.
• When ready to assemble, lay a wire cooling rack over your sink or other surface where there is at least a foot of space below. (This is how you will let the candy coating on the sharks harden and dry.)
• Combine the chocolate, coconut oil and enough black gel food coloring to make a shark gray color (3 to 4 drops) in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1 minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is melted.
• Spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) of the gray chocolate inside each circle template on the baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Cut the circles in half (warming your knife over a burner flame will help with making a clean cut). Cut 3 of the pieces in half again for the back fins. Cut the other 3 pieces in quarters for the shark flippers.
• Tip the bowl so the gray chocolate pools on one side. Holding a banana by the stick, dip the banana into the chocolate with the shark mouth facing up using a curving motion to coat the back, sides and top; leave the space above and below the mouth uncoated.
• Working quickly so the chocolate doesn't harden, dip a back fin into the chocolate and stick it on the back of the shark with the rounded part of the fin facing forward. Dip 2 flippers in the chocolate and stick them on towards the bottom of the shark. Dip the flat side of 2 chocolate chips in the chocolate and stick them on the head for eyes.
• Clip the end of the stick with a binder clip and thread another ice pop stick through it to suspend the shark to dry. Thread through the cooling rack so it hangs down.
• Repeat the dipping and drying with the remaining bananas. Once all of the sharks are dipped and dried, serve right away.