KLY21: Molecular Popsicles

A creative looking popsicle gets me every time. Having grown up with tradition, one-dimensional popsicles, I always get excited when I see someone put a new spin of these frozen treats, and David Marx, food scientist and founder of The Science Kitchen in Berlin, is just the guy to do it!

Marx’s popsicle line, named KYL21 after the Swedish spelling of molecule (molekyl), features futuristic looking sweets that have been molded into complicated, geometric shapes. He describes them as “the reinvention of popsicles and a real masterpiece of avant-garde cuisine.” They are also free of additives, organic, vegan, and gluten free. They aren’t due to hit the marketplace until the Spring, but, in the meantime, you can click here to check out KYL21 website. ~Erin

Inspiration Board: Springerle

My mom has been obsessed with Springerle cookies lately. She’s planning on making some for my sister’s wedding and Springerle madness has officially set in. She keeps buying and experimenting with all sorts of different wooden molds, the kind that are used to make these lovely German cookies. With all this Springerle talk surrounding me these days, it seemed like the perfect time to do a post on them!

Springerle cookies, which have been around since the 1300s and are traditionally anise-flavored, are created by pressing a patterned mold onto rolled dough and then baking. The result is a hard cookie covered in a beautiful bas-relief image. The molds themselves are usually inspired by folk art and are often imprinted with images of flowers, animals, and people (with flowers and animals). In addition to the cookie molds, there are also patterned rolling pins available, if you want to cover a large surface, like a pie covering. These little cookies are truly edible art! For more Springerle info and to check out a recipe for the cookies, click here.

Pictured above: "Lady" Springerle Cookies by The Springerle Baker. For more Springerle examples on this site see: Cookbook Excitement: Pie it Forward and Inspiration Board: Easter.

Birnbaum Owl Mold (18.95) from The Springerle Baker

Cookie made with owl mold from The Springerle Baker

Gingerbread Springerle by King Arthur Flour

Springerle Cupcakes by Bakerella

Springerle Cookies/Cake by Martha Stewart

Spaghetti Ice Cream

Am I the only one that didn't know that ice cream shaped like spaghetti is like...a thing...in Germany? Yep, that's right. It's called spaghettieis (spaghetti ice) and it's not really noodles, but ice cream that has been pressed through a spaetzle press. To assemble, simply place the "noodles" over whipped cream, add strawberry sauce instead of tomato sauce and replace the cheese with white chocolate, coconut, or grated almonds and voila, you have spaghettieis. When I first saw it, I thought it was just another fondant-covered novelty dish, but I was wrong! It's actually well-known dessert in Germany and has been around since the 1960s! Want to try making it yourself? Click here for a recipe.

[Photo by Christian Cable]