This Traditional Czech Popsicle Is Filled With Cheese Instead Of Fruit

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Most frozen treats on a popsicle stick are sweet and refreshing, with the magical ability to trick us into thinking we're quenching our thirst. Fruit popsicles are one of the most popular variations, made with anything from cherries to bananas, but are often just referred to by their color. The Popsicle brand logo lines freezer walls in the U.S., but in the Czech Republic, the go-to store-bought popsicle brand is Míša, and it has created the country's favorite ice cream bar. The frozen bar is deliciously creamy and doused in chocolate, but the unique taste isn't the result of the usual combination of milk, cream, and sugar; it's actually quark cheese, or tvaroh. 

The icy treat epitomizes Czech food culture and has come to be known as misa ice cream. Cheese and ice cream aren't all that different at the end of the day. They may be on opposite ends of the sweet and savory spectrum, but they're both made from cream, with sugar really being the only ingredient standing in between the two recipes after rennet and a culture. We eat frozen yogurt, which is arguably one step closer to cheese, so why not explore cheese in more frozen desserts? After all, cream cheese is the ingredient that will change your homemade ice cream forever.

Cheese may seem like it doesn't belong in your popsicle, but with the way Míša does it, you would never guess that it was responsible for the flavor. Quark, a tangy Central European farmer's cheese made from cow's milk, is sweetened and mixed with a dash of cream to create a dense yet fluffy consistency. The result is slightly acidic and a little tart, not too different from the original flavor you'd find in most frozen yogurt brands and at shops like Pinkberry. In fact, quark is often confused with yogurt. 

The unique ice cream bar is then drenched in a thin layer of chocolate, stuck with a popsicle stick, and frozen. Míša has been producing the iconic ice cream bar since 1962, and thankfully, the recipe remains unchanged. The brand has dabbled in other flavors, but often leaves the icy cheese center alone. The green-wrapped ice cream bars can be spotted at practically any Czech market with a freezer section. On a hot day, you'll see one in the hand of just about every local. These treats will be hard to find in the U.S., but quark, also called farmer's cheese, is sold online and at specialty grocery stores and you can try your hand at making them yourself.