We’ve been lucky to have some pretty nice weather this long weekend. Sadly, we don’t have a garden to enjoy it in but that didn’t stop me getting some ice lollies on the go. Gin & tonic ice lollies, to be precise. Because if you can’t drink in the sun, you might as well eat alcoholic ice lollies inside. Or something…
A classic G&T is my go-to drink these days, and it’s especially good on a warm day. Cold, refreshing and not so sweet you can’t drink 5 in a row. It’s almost even better in ice lolly form.
The ice lolly recipe is pretty much as straightforward as the drink: gin, tonic water and a squeeze of lime. Freezing tends to bring out the bitter flavour so I’ve added in a little simple syrup to sweeten it up slightly, but I can assure you the resulting flavour is still classic gin & tonic. If you’re not familiar with simple syrup, it’s just water and sugar and there’s a quick description of how to make it in the recipe below.
Before you dash off to make these, let me impart some gin & tonic ice lolly wisdom:
- Much as I understand the temptation, I wouldn’t advise adding more gin. Alcohol doesn’t freeze at this temperature so increasing the amount will lead to slushy lollies that melt super fast.
- If you want to add lime slices (pretty, but admittedly a little fiddly when actually eating), wait until the lollies are slushy (about 1-2 hours) before pushing the slices in. This stops the slices dropping to the bottom
- If using a mould with wooden sticks, wait about 2 hours until the mixture has frozen slightly before pushing the sticks in. If you’re looking for an ice lolly mould, I’d recommend the Norpro Frozen Ice Pop Maker. It’s what I used to make these and is the most fuss-free option I’ve found.
Ingredients
- 50g caster sugar
- 50ml water
- 100ml gin
- 100ml lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 600ml tonic water
- 10 lime slices (optional)
Instructions
- To make simple syrup, add the sugar and water to a pan and heat gently until sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- In a bowl, mix the gin, lime juice, tonic water and simple syrup. Divide the mixture between each lolly mould, leaving a little space at the top to allow to expand.
- Freeze for 1-2 hours until semi-frozen then push sticks into place. Also add lime slices at this point if you want, pushing them to about halfway down. Return to freezer for a further 3 hours, or overnight.
- To remove ice lollies from mould, run lukewarm water over the mould to loosen before removing.