Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars

naturally sweet, tart, fresh...

About two months ago I was ordering a few things on Amazon...mostly kitchen stuff that will debut on this blog! And, one of the things I got was ice pop molds. It was still chilly out, but I've always wanted to get some and I was pining for summer. So, I added them to my cart and checked out. Now that it's finally staying warm it's a great time to try them out. So, for this recipe and to finish up this series I've made Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars.

Grapefruit loves mint. There are many salads, sauces, and dessert pairing the two. Therefore, I thought I'd join in and make these super simple frozen fruit bars. My ice pop molds only hold about 3.5 oz each. So, this recipe is roughly 2 cups of liquid. It's important to leave about 1/2 inch space at the top of each mold as the water will expand as it freezes (a little physics for you today!). So, adjust the ingredient amounts to fit your ice pop molds. No molds? No problem! Fill small paper cups (suggest Dixie), cover with foil, and insert a popsicle stick. Voila! Don't let anything stop you from making these sweet, tart, and fresh fruit bars. Here's how to make them...

Ingredients - Makes 6 (~3oz.) Bars
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Water
Pinch Kosher Salt
~10 Fresh Mint Leaves, divided
1 1/4 C Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
To Make: Ice Pop Molds

Directions
Separate about 4 mint leaves from the rest and finely mince them. Set aside.

Make the mint simple syrup: Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining whole mint leaves, and steep for about 10 minutes.

Fill the molds: Next, remove the mint leaves from the simple syrup. Pour the syrup and grapefruit juice into a measuring cup or spouted bowl. Stir in the minced mint leaves. Then, carefully pour the liquid into the molds, making sure to leave about a 1/2 inch space at the top.

Freeze the bars & serve: Put the caps on the molds and place them in the freezer. Allow the fruit bars to freeze until solid, 5-6 hours. When ready to serve, quickly run the molds under warm water. This will help loosen the mold. Serve and enjoy!