'Poptails' recipes

Beat the heat this summer with these cocktails on a stick.

Makes 6 pops

• 2 ½ c. chopped cucumber

• 1 c. elderflower cordial

• ½ c. gin

Place the cucumber and elderflower cordial in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and stir half of the pulp in the sieve back into the cucumber and elderflower juice. Mix in the gin until well combined, then pour into six frozen ice pop molds. Place the molds in the freezer. Let set for 3 hours, give it a good stir, insert the sticks and allow to freeze solid (about 4 more hours) or leave overnight.

Per pop: 160 calories (10 percent from fat).

• ½ vanilla bean

• ¼ c. super-fine sugar

• 1 ½ c. pomegranate juice

• 4 tbsp. vodka

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place pod and seeds in a saucepan with the sugar and ½ cup water. Slowly bring to a boil, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Let simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Allow to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod from the syrup and mix in the pomegranate juice and vodka. Pour into four frozen ice pop molds. Place the molds in the freezer. Let set for 2 hours, insert the sticks and allow to freeze until completely solid (about 4 more hours).

Makes 6 pops

• ¼ c. superfine sugar

• 4 tbsp. Pimm's gin-based liquor

• 1 c. ginger beer (or lemonade)

• ¼ c. sliced strawberries

• 18 small mint leaves

Place the sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Let simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the Pimm's and ginger beer or lemonade. Let cool completely. Divide the strawberries, apple slices and mint leaves among six frozen ice pop molds. Pour over the Pimm's mixture and insert the sticks. Place molds in the freezer for 6 hours, until frozen solid.

Per pop: 76 calories (1 percent from fat).

Makes 6 slushes

• ½ c. super-fine sugar

• ⅓ c. lime juice (3 to 4 limes)

• 2 c. chopped watermelon

• 6 tbsp. tequila

• 2 tbsp. Grand Marnier

• 2 tbsp. agave nectar

Per slush: 136 calories (2 percent from fat).

Makes 6 pops

• 2 tbsp. honey

• 4 tbsp. whiskey

• 2 c. ginger beer

Per pop: 76 calories (none from fat).