Adzuki beans—also known as azuki or Asian red beans—are frequently used in desserts across Asia, in countries like China, Japan, and Korea. Keeping some of the beans whole in these creamy ice pops helps add a bit of texture.
Special equipment: You will need freezer pop molds for this recipe. If yours don’t come with sticks that attach securely, you can buy wooden sticks and insert them about 1 1/2 hours into the freezing time.
What to buy: This recipe uses canned adzuki beans that have been sweetened and mashed slightly for a chunky texture. They can be found in Asian markets or online and are not to be confused with red bean paste, which is much smoother in texture.
This recipe was featured as part of our 7 Ice Pops That Break the Mold.
- Yield: About 6 (4-ounce) ice pops
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 15 mins, plus at least 6 hrs freezing time
Ingredients (5)
- 1 1/2 cups canned sweetened, mashed adzuki beans
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of the beans and the cream in a large bowl and mix until evenly combined.
- Place the remaining 1/2 cup beans, milk, sugar, and salt in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the bean-cream mixture and stir to combine. (The beans will sink to the bottom.)
- Fill the pop molds halfway with the liquid part of the mixture. Use a spoon to evenly divide the beans left on the bottom of the bowl among the molds. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
