Red Bean Popsicles

Sort through the red beans and discard any that are cracked or damaged. Rinse the beans three times, gently stirring with your hands to ensure thorough cleaning.

Soak the cleaned red beans in cold water for 6-8 hours or overnight at room temperature to allow them to absorb water and soften.

Rinse the soaked beans one more time and drain well.

Place the drained beans in a pot with 16 oz of hot water and cover. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer gently for about 1 hour until the beans are completely soft.

Add the brown sugar to the simmered beans and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 more minutes to allow the sugar to fully dissolve.

In a separate bowl, mix the tapioca starch with 1.5 tbsp of water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the bean mixture and stir for about 1 minute until thickened, then turn off the heat.

Allow the bean mixture to cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Once cooled, add 8 oz of milk and 6 oz of coconut milk to the mixture and stir well to combine.

Blend the mixture on medium speed for about 30 seconds until the red beans and liquid are completely combined and smooth.

Pour the blended mixture into a measuring cup with a spout, then carefully pour into popsicle molds, filling to the marked line.

If the mold has built-in sticks, insert them now. If using separate wooden sticks, freeze the filled molds for 1 hour first until the mixture is partially frozen, then insert the sticks so they don't float.

Place the molds in the freezer for at least 6-8 hours until completely frozen.

Once fully frozen, pour hot water over the molds to loosen the popsicles, or let them thaw slightly at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing them from the molds.