These Hard To Resist Blueberry Lemon Floats are incredible. They are fin version of a classic float. And.. they have fruit, so practically healthy. They are very similar to the cherry vanilla floats I made a few weeks ago. You really can make floats from most fruits, truth be told.
Prepping the blueberries
There are several ways to prepare the blueberries for the floats, but I will show you my favorite way- a reduction. What's a reduction? Great question. It is reducing a sauce by heating it. This intensifies the flavors and thickens in the process. So, add your berries to a pan.
Now, this is a blueberry lemon, so zest that lemon! I love my Microplane for this. Once you have zested your lemon, add in water and your sweetener. I used granulated sugar, but honey works as well.
Cook this for several minutes, allowing it to boil gently. The berries should be fully softened and their juices release.
I don't like to keep the whole berries for this recipe, so I strain them, pushing as much berry through the strainer as I can. Return to the pan and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and tasty! The next step is allowing it to cool.
Constructing the Hard to Resist Blueberry Lemon Float
Once your reduction is cooled (notice in the photo below how thick it is), pour into a container.
Mix in your 7up, or whatever lemon/lime flavored soda you are using. There are other great options out there. I like to mix these 2 first, rather than adding them separately over the ice cream. They are better blended this way.
We love using steins for this. I like to chill them too, but the photo isn't as pretty, so I didn't this time. Add your vanilla or even lemon ice cream to stein or mug.
Pour your blueberry soda mixture over the ice cream.
The final product
Can you see why I name these the HARD TO RESIST blueberry lemon floats? They are so good and really hard to resist.
It is a beautiful and vibrant dessert that most people will love.
Hard to resist blueberry lemon float
Ingredients
- 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest Make sure and wash your lemon well first before zesting.
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 liter 7up, or other lemon lime soda
- vanilla or lemon ice cream we used about ½ gallon
Instructions
- Add blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to medium sauce pan. Mix well. Place over medium heat. Heat until it comes to a gentle boil, stir occasionally Continue to cook over medium low a few more minutes until the berries are very soft and have released their juices. You have 2 choices at this point, either strain the skins out or simply blend them in a food processor. I wanted a smooth reduction, so I strained mine. If you choose this method, place in a fine mesh strainer and press all the berries into it. You want as much of the berry to pass through as possible. If you want a chunkier sauce, place berries in a blender or food processor. Pulse until it is smooth and well blended. With either method you used, add the blueberry sauce back into your sauce pan. Now we will start the reduction. Cook over a medium low, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened slightly. Mine took about 10 minutes. This will depend on the sauce, thickness of your pan and the actual temp of your medium low, as everyone's cooktop is different. Once it has thickened and reduced, remove from heat. Pour into a bowl or container to cool. That pan will hold on to residual heat, so I like to remove from the pan. Once it has cooled, you can use it right away. If you want to save it for another time, this is simple. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. I used a mason jar. It will hold for up to 4 days. When you are ready to use, we will make a mix of the blueberry reduction and soda. The exact ratio will depend on your palate and preference. I used a 1 part blueberry to 2 parts soda. Taste as you make and adjust as needed. Next, add your ice cream to the serving glasses. We like a high ice cream to liquid ratio, so don't skimp!Then pour your blueberry soda mixture over the ice cream and go for it!Now, sit back and enjoy. You certainly deserve this!!