Citrus Ice Core Popsicles // S1E8 Ice
It’s still there, Scully. 200,000 years down. In the ice.
What else could we make for this episode, but popsicles? Ice Core Popsicles.
Ice is a really classic X-Files entry and one of the best episodes of Season 1. It’s a Monster of the Week, but also introduces the concept of extraterrestrials buried deep in the ice, which we revisit several times throughout the series.
This episode starts off really strikingly with a horrific scene playing out at a remote Arctic base. It builds that atmosphere with the VHS tape the agents watch, the close quarters of the setting, and everyone’s increasing distrust and paranoia. Like many Season 1 episodes, it also explores whether Mulder and Scully can trust each other. They also each get great individual moments: Mulder gives a very Mulder speech (rant?) about alternative life form theorists and Scully gets to do Science! on screen. Their actions directly impact the outcome of the situation, instead of them just being spectators.
Since ice core samples and what’s found in them are the episode’s focus, we used three types of citrus to imitate the layers of an ice core. You can add a gummy worm if you’d like to really lean into the theme for some reason. Just be sure to eat two.
Final thought– Scully’s pristine white coat that she wears at the beginning of the episode. It looks great, but seems incredibly impractical for field work. [Also, this episode is always discussed in the context of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Someday we will watch that movie.]
Opening the Recipe File|
This recipe was created for a popsicle mold that holds about 1,000mL of liquid (slightly over 1/4 gallon) and makes 10 popsicles. We used three types of citrus to give us three similar, but slightly distinct layers, invoking the ice core samples from the episode. This recipe also calls for agar agar powder. Agar agar is a vegan alternative to gelatin derived from red algae. You can make these popsicles without gelatin or agar agar, but including one of these setting agents will allow the popsicles to hold their structure better, melt slower, and have a better texture.
Bring 3 C water to a boil, and stir in the agar agar powder and the sugar. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring or whisking so that the powder and sugar dissolve. Allow the sugar and agar agar mixture to cool slightly, then divide into 3 medium sized bowls.
Zest and juice one grapefruit, until you have about 1/2 C of grapefruit juice. Stir into one of the bowls and set aside. Zest one lemon, and juice 2 – 3 lemons until you have about 1/2 C of lemon juice. Stir into one of the bowls and set aside. Zest and juice 2 limes, until you have about 1/4 C of lime juice. Stir into the last remaining bowl.
Divide the lime mixture among the popsicle molds (our popsicle mold required about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Note: we put our popsicle mold on a small baking sheet to give it stability since we’d be taking it out of the freezer several times. Freeze for about 2 hours. If you’re using the gummy worms, add them to this layer after it has set slightly, about 1 hour into the freezing time.
After about 2 hours, remove from the freezer. Divide the lemon mixture among the popsicles (about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Freeze for about 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and divide up the remaining grapefruit mixture (about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Insert the sticks into the popsicles and return to the freezer.
Allow at least 4 more hours of freezing time to completely set the popsicles.
Once frozen, you may need to dip the popsicle mold into very hot water for a few seconds to help loosen the popsicles for easy removal. Serve immediately, or conduct scientific experiments on the worm parasites found within.
Citrus Ice Core Popsicle Recipe
Citrus Ice Core Popsicles
Equipment
- popsicle mold the one we used makes 10 100mL popsicles
- lemon zester or microplane
Ingredients
- 1½ C sugar
- 3 C water
- 3 tbsp agar agar powder
- 1 grapefruit
- 2 – 3 lemons
- 2 – 3 limes
- vegan gummy worms (optional)
Instructions
- Bring 3 C water to a boil, and stir in the agar agar powder and the sugar. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring or whisking so that the powder and sugar dissolve.
- Allow the sugar and agar agar mixture to cool slightly, then divide into 3 medium sized bowls.
- Zest and juice one grapefruit, until you have about 1/2 C of grapefruit juice. Stir into one of the bowls and set aside.
- Zest one lemon, and juice 2 – 3 lemons until you have about 1/2 C of lemon juice. Stir into one of the bowls and set aside.
- Zest and juice 2 limes, until you have about 1/4 C of lime juice. Stir into the last remaining bowl.
- Divide the lime mixture among the popsicle molds (our popsicle mold required about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Freeze for about 2 hours. If you're using the gummy worms, add them to this layer after it has set slightly, about 1 hour into the freezing time.
- After about 2 hours, remove from the freezer. Divide the lemon mixture among the popsicles (about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Freeze for about 2 hours.
- 2 hours later, remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and divide up the remaining grapefruit mixture (about 30mL of liquid per popsicle). Insert the sticks into the popsicles and return to the freezer.
- Allow at least 4 more hours of freezing time to completely set the popsicles.
- Once frozen, you may need to dip the popsicle molds into very hot water for a few seconds to help loosen the popsicles for easy removal from the molds.
