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My husband is always clamouring to be featured in my blog. I suppose he thinks it is a reflection of my love for him, if I write about him. Well, you asked for it, darling. I am going to tell my readers a story about you that is only minimally connected to the recipe at hand. And we’ll see if you want me to feature you again after that! This story is about two young people, a far away island in the Caribbean, and rum. A whole lot of rum.
Imagine, if you will, a very, VERY tall young man who comes to visit his girlfriend while she is working on the beautiful island of Barbados. She shows him around the island that has been her home for the past few months, and they take in all the sights, play in the ocean, and bask in the sun. One late afternoon, they decide to take a tour of the Mount Gay Rum Distillery, one of the oldest rum distilleries in the world. They manage to catch the very last tour of the day, and in the manner of lovers who have been apart, they hang back from the group and whisper smart ass, goofy comments, paying little attention to anyone or anything but each other.
The tour winds up in the Mount Gay tasting room, where everyone can have a taste of the various grades of rum and buy as many bottles as they like. Being the last tour of the day, the bartender, astonishingly named Chesterfield Brown, is a little restless and giddy. He spies the tall, young American and challenges him to a rum shooter contest. Suddenly, all eyes are on the man and never being one to back down from a challenge, he heartily accepts a snifter full of at least 4 ounces of dark Mount Gay Rum. Whoever finishes first, wins. Our hero closes his eyes, opens his throat and pours the contents straight back, draining the glass in one large gulp. Chesterfield is vanquished! And our hero seems none the worse for his consumption of liquid fire.
The tourists wrap up their day and start to head back to their hotels, but the young woman notices something amiss with the hero. He has propped himself up against the wall in the bar and looks as if he’d topple over if not for the support. He admits to some wooziness and clearly needs something in his stomach to soak up the alcohol. Chesterfield graciously steps in and he and the young woman somehow manage to get our hero back to Chesterfield’s house, where his wife fills their bellies with copious amounts of traditional Bajan food. The day is saved, more rum is drunk, and a fast friendship is formed between all parties. The day at the Mount Gay Rum distillery lives in infamy.
The end.
So rum and I, and my husband, have quite a history. And when I thought about making my Chocolate Fudge Pops with coconut milk, they ended up evolving into this recipe. A delicious coconut and rum popsicle dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in toasted coconut. Yum!
Chocolate Coconut Rum Pops
Ingredients
Popsicles
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk not light
- 1/3 cup granulated erythritol I used Swerve
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp dark rum
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15 drops stevia extract
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
Chocolate coating:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 3.5- oz high % cacao chocolate bar gluten-free, where possible
- 1/3 cup finely shredded unsweetened toasted coconut
Instructions
- For the popsicles, combine cream, coconut milk, arrowroot, erythritol and salt together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in rum, vanilla and stevia.
- Sprinkle with xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine.
- Let mixture cool 10 minutes, then pour into popsicles molds and freeze one hour. Add sticks and continue to freeze another 4 to 5 hours, until firm.
- For the coating, melt butter and chocolate together in a medium skillet, stirring until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Place a glass or ceramic plate in the freezer to chill.
- Place toasted coconut in shallow plate (I toast my coconut in a skillet, it's faster and easier than in the oven).
- Run hot water over popsicle molds to release popsicles. Quickly roll each popsicle in chocolate and then in toasted coconut. Place on end on chilled plate and return to the freezer.
- Allow chocolate to set, 10 minutes.
natalie@thesweetslife says
too funny! I’m glad your husband didn’t get sick 🙂 And what delicious sounding popsicles to conjure up the memories!!
shelly (cookies and cups) says
Oh my gosh these look amazing!! The coconut milk sounds like perfection in this 🙂
Katharine says
What an adorable story! We went to Barbados last year and I loved the island and the people. These pops look yummy! I need to invest in some Popsicle molds.
Sarah says
So, are these “kid-safe”? 🙂
Carolyn says
LOL, perhaps not. They aren’t really all that alcoholic, but unless your child likes the taste of rum, they probably won’t be a huge fan of these.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
HAHAHA! Magnificent story! YAY RUM!
Andrea@simplylivinghealthy.org says
My husband and I have a wonderful history with rum as well…I think these will serve us well. Thanks for the recipe…sounds wonderful.
Lee says
Would EZ-Sweetz be the same number of drops as the Stevia extract?
Carolyn says
No, probably not. I think EZ Sweetz is sweeter. I’d do about half or two thirds the amount.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
these look so good! Off to pin them
Debra says
How lucky to live in Barbados! That must have been a hoot, then to have said boyfriend visit …
Shawn @ I Wash...You Dry says
Haha! Great story! I have been on a jungle tour a couple times in Mexico where it ends in Tequila tasting, crazy times!
Gotham Home Table says
your husband is cool
Amanda says
How yummy do these look?! 🙂 Such great photos, Carolyn!!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
The pops look amazing! And what a cute and funny story to go with them.
TracyKM says
These look yummy. Sort of funny timing–last night I made coconut/rum/chocolate mounds from “Living Low Carb” cookbook. Yummy!
Liz says
LOL…my husband is always clammoring to be left out of my blog! Of course, it could be b/c I’m always griping about his pickiness 🙂 Glad your hubby survived the rum drinking challenge…and that he’s still willing (I hope) to eat food with spiked with this alcohol. Your pops are as beautiful as they must be delicious~
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
ha ha :)) great story Carolyn! How cool to live on the island and enjoy a coconut pop!
Tim says
Hello C. Your hubby here. You are a sweetheart for featuring me & our Bajan rum adventure on your blog. That was a wonderful trip and I hope we are able to share many more like that in the years ahead. Thank you for taking care of our family with your delicious & healthy recipes. You have clearly changed our eating habits for the better!
Anne says
Scrumptious!
Colette @ JFF says
GORGEOUS!
Helena Angelina says
My fave post to date….the popsicles finishing a close second to the story! 🙂
Marie says
Hello what do I do if I don’t have stevia extract? Will it affect the texture?
Carolyn says
Should be fine.