Not Your Kiddo's Fudgesicle

When I was little, my absolute favorite treat from the ice cream ruck was a Fudgesicle. The were 99 cents, and, in my opinion, were even better than the $2.50 ChocoTaco. I was, and still am, a purist at some levels, though when I do find a magical combination, I cling to it like my life depends on it. This recipe is one of hose combinations. The tang from the greek yogurt paired with the soft sweetness form the Dutch cocoa is amazing! It doesn't even need salt.
The simple syrup and Dutch cocoa are hugely important if you want to really simulate the flavor of the chocolatey pops from when you were a kid. The simple syrup lends a familiar iciness to the texture of the pop and the darker cocoa lacks the tang of plain cocoa powder. This type of cocoa is used in a lot of the super dark and sweet childhood favorites, like Oreos.
Feel free to adjust the sugar and chocolate amounts to suit your fancy, but if you want to make them any sweeter, I'd recommend granulated sugar to prevent the pops from getting to icy once they're frozen.
These would also be pretty darn good if you froze a strawberry at the bottom of the mold, but I made strawberry pops yesterday so I thought it might be a little overkill.

Dark Chocolate Pops
24 oz plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
1/2 Dutch process cocoa (Hershey's Special Dark tastes the most like a Fudgesicle)
1/4 cup simple syrup (depends on your taste)


Mix yogurt, so any liquid is fully incorporated. Sift in the cocoa powder, making sure there are no lumps. Mix in thoroughly. Add simple syrup until you reach your desired sweetness.
Put a strawberry, point facing down, into the bottom of each popsicle mold or paper cup you have. Top the berry with the yogurt mix. If your molds come with sticks that fir securely to the top, fit with a lid and freeze for at least 3 hours, or until frozen solid. If you are using cups, or your own sticks, cover each mold with plastic wrap, stab a stick through the plastic, down into the pudding, so it stands straight up. Freeze until solid.
The popsicles should release from the molds when rubbed with a warm hand. If they do not, hold the plastic mold under warm water, or peel the paper cup away from the fudgesicle.