My opinion on the Zoku fridge

Since the good weather arrived, Beatriz, author of To Be Gourmet , enjoys preparing delicious ice creams. He also enjoys eating them, because natural and freshly made homemade ice creams have many advantages, starting with how good they are.

In view of the fact that most of them are surprised to learn that you can make popsicles in 7 minutes, and from your experience with the Zoku ice cream maker , I asked you to give us your opinion and experience about it, I hope you find it of interest.

When I first saw the Zoku refrigerator and the beautiful polo shirts that appear in the photographs of the box, I admit that I thought that surely at the moment of truth they would not come out like that even remotely.

I was thinking about the number of gadgets, or kits, or toys that promise one thing in advertising and then when it comes time to face the task on your own, at home, there is no way to reproduce what is advertised as something easy and affordable .

So when I made my first pole with Zoku , something basic; a striped mixture of lemon and orange juice (they recommend starting with simple things to familiarize yourself with the utensil) I couldn't believe that I had such a beautiful thing in my hands, made by myself, without any practice, and in less than ten minutes.

The first advantage, and it is something very important when we talk about a product that is aimed especially at children (although the older ones are enjoying it a lot) is the fact that it is something whose result and purpose is to obtain fresh and natural food for Offer as a snack or snack.

Zoku popsicles are mainly made with juices, yogurts, milk, chocolate…. In terms of juices, it is true that we can resort to industrial ones, but within these there are some more natural ones, and of course the ideal is to make them ourselves at home, crushing the fruit and in some cases adding some water to dilute it.

Kiwi, melon, apple, banana, cherries, watermelon, apple... this summer our children can meet the famous "5 a day" without any effort.

The Zoku refrigerator comes in three sizes: for three poles, for two or for one pole. But inside the box there are sticks to double the capacity (after making a roll of popsicles, you can immediately make another batch).

How the Zoku fridge works

The only thing you have to keep in mind is that the refrigerator must be in the freezer for at least 24 hours before being used. And you shouldn't worry too much about space, because even the one with the largest capacity (three poles; six can be made) has a very acceptable size to spend from June to September in the freezer without affecting our routine too much.

To make the popsicles, it is enough to introduce the liquids and ingredients that you have chosen in the cavities of the refrigerator, where the stick is also placed, and you take them out in the form of a popsicle after a few minutes! To introduce the liquids, you can help yourself with some small glasses that come in the Zoku accessories kit .

You can make the poles all the same or each one different. With stripes, fillings, with stamped fruits... The instructions that come with the product are super easy to follow. Even our own children can make the poles by themselves, since the machine does not need electricity of any kind and is absolutely harmless. To understand how it works, it is enough to know that the cavities of the refrigerator are so cold that freezing is almost immediate.

If we want to stamp fruits, they have to be cut very finely and with a wand, which is included, they are directed towards the walls of the cavity where they remain attached with the cold. The ones that stick best are the most sugary, like pears. If it is difficult for us to adhere, or for example we are using chocolate that is more difficult to stick, the solution is to dip it in a sugary liquid, such as syrup, honey, sugar water…etc.

If we want to make a lolly of a single color we will add the juice, or yogurt, or horchata, or prepared in one go. In 7 minutes we have it done and we will remove it with the help of an accessory that is included; a kind of orange knob that adjusts to the stick by turning on it, and that helps us to pull it.

If we want to make a lolly alternating several flavors, we will add a liquid, wait two or 3 minutes for it to solidify, then add the other, wait again and so on until the lolly is complete.

In addition to stamping fruit slices, you can glue hearts or stars made of hard fruits such as apples, it looks great.

It is advisable to purchase with the Zoku refrigerator the kit that includes the glasses , which are also measuring cups, the wand, the molds for stars and hearts, and a pipette that is used to make popsicles filled with another flavor in a very easy way. It is very economical and is an important complement to be able to get the most out of our Zoku refrigerator.

The possibilities are almost endless, in flavors and aesthetics. Although there are some things that we have to take into account. If the product that we want to introduce is excessively sugary (for example dulce de leche), the 7 minutes in which the popsicle is normally made will not be enough, because the excess sugar prevents freezing. On the contrary, a sugar defect makes the ice cream impossible to extract, it will freeze very quickly and it will be so hard that we will not be able to extract it.

Thus, any liquid must be sugary, or have fat such as cream or yogurt. Some sweeteners also hinder a good result, and the same is true for some carbonated drinks. That is why it is best to start with what is simple and obvious, and then experiment.

In any case, if on any occasion we find it difficult to extract the ice cream, it is a good idea to wait a while, the refrigerator loses its cold, and it extracts well. That time does not have to be more than 15 or 20 minutes and this circumstance would be exceptional. Zoku poles normally unmold without any difficulty.

Maintenance and cleaning of the refrigerator

The maintenance of the refrigerator is very simple, as one pole is removed, another can be made immediately afterwards in the hole that has been left (we have already said that there are extra sticks). And when we have finished, if there are no remains (which does not have to be), we can take it back to the freezer.

From time to time we let it thaw, wash it with a little water and dish soap, rinse it and dry it well by inserting kitchen paper, so that when we return it to the freezer it is free of water that could freeze, affecting modeling. of the following poles.

You will find a couple of recipes with the Zoku fridge in the post we published a few days ago ( here ). You can also find the delicious recipe for cherry and coconut popsicle that you have seen in the photos in this other post . But imagination (especially of children!) can be our greatest source of recipes for the fridge and thus make new ice creams, but if we don't want trials and tests, Zoku has a book full of ideas !

Nothing more and nothing less than forty ways to have fun and enjoy this summer by drinking natural and healthy popsicles! Buying a Zoku refrigerator has endless advantages as you can see.