Few things beat a fresh fruit cobbler for dessert in summer. But when it's especially hot and sticky outside -- Pittsburgh in August -- one treat is best for cooling you down while sweetening your tongue: a frozen pop on a stick.

The first commercial Popsicle, invented by Californian Frank Epperson, dates to 1923. But frozen desserts have been around as long as there have been people to eat them. The ancient Romans were known to crush blocks of ice hauled down from the mountains in summer and flavor the ice with fruit and syrup. Italian adventurer Marco Polo is said to have sampled sorbet when he visited Mongolian ruler Kublai Khan in the late 1200s.

Today, you don't have to travel to even your local grocery store to get a great-tasting ice pop. They're so easy to make that chances are you have everything you need to create a batch in your own kitchen. All it takes is some sort of mold, some wooden sticks and a flavored liquid or puree, plus a freezer.

Fruit juices or smoothies made from blending juice, sugar and whole fruit in a blender are among the more popular ingredients. But you can also make ice pops from coffee, yogurt or pudding or ice cream. Depending on how creative you want to get, mix in fruit, nuts, candy, spices and cookies. And don't forget alcohol: Cocktail pops are a great way to break the ice at adults-only summer gatherings.

Commercial plastic and silicone molds are available in all different shapes and sizes at most grocery, department and kitchen specialty stores. In The Kitchen, Strip District, for example, carries Tovolo pop molds in the shape of rockets and "groovy" bars, both of which have been selling like hot cakes.

"It's been really huge this year," says store owner KC Lapiana. The rocket pops are especially popular, she says, because you can layer them with different colors.

You can also find molds online on sites such as Amazon.com and PrairieMoon.biz, both of which offer them in the shape of grapes, stars, umbrellas and sailboats.

Or make pops completely from scratch using ice cube trays, plastic egg cartons or even small paper cups with a lollipop stick tucked in the middle; to keep the sticks in place, partially freeze the pop before inserting them or wrap the tray tightly with tin foil, puncture each square in the middle with a paring knife and then stick a wooden stick in the hole.

Whatever mold or recipe you choose, get the kids involved. Not only will they have fun, but they'll also gain an appreciation for healthy treats that use little or no sugar. Even small children can help wash fruits, and, with help from mom, put ingredients in a blender and pour liquid into molds.

The hardest thing about making frozen treats, in fact, may be that it takes patience. Most have to freeze for at least four hours before serving; for best results, freeze them overnight.

You should also let them stand at room temperature for a few minutes after taking them out of the freezer so they unmold easily -- no small task when you're hot and hungry for something sweet.