Paletas

There's more flavour in our new Paletas recipe than you can shake a wooden stick at! Made with real pieces of luscious fruit and homemade lime syrup, these Mexican-style frozen treats are dairy-free and ready for chilling on the patio.

Prep Time
20 minutes
4 hours (preferably overnight) freezing time
Cook Time
3 minutes
Image
A variety of frozen fruit paletas in a bucket of ice served with kiwis, cherries, and mangoes

12 pc frozen pop mold (about 2 oz per mold) OR any frozen pop mold OR small paper cups

Wooden frozen pop sticks x 12

Small heavy-bottomed pot

Scale OR dry measuring cups

Liquid measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Heatproof rubber spatula

Chef’s knife OR paring knife

Cutting board

Fine-mesh sieve

Blender OR food processor OR immersion blender with a high-sided container

Large measuring cup or small pitcher x 3 OR medium bowl x 3 with a ladle

Aluminum foil

Servings
12 (60 ml) paletas; filling amounts once blended with syrup: mango 225 ml, kiwi 200 ml, cherry 200 ml
For the lime syrup base (200 ml):
  • ½ cup (125 ml) water
  • ½ cup (75 g) Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar
  • 4 pcs (8 g) lime zest, wide strips
  • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1½ tsp (2 g) Mexican chili-lime seasoning (see Chef’s Tips)
For the paletas:
  • 1¼ cup (250 g) mangoes, diced (divided)
  • 1¼ cup (200 g) kiwi, diced (divided)
  • 1¼ cup (178 g) cherries, washed, pitted, halved (divided)
  • Lime syrup base, divided
  • Lime wheels or slices, thinly sliced (optional)
For garnish (optional):
  • Mexican chili-lime seasoning (see Chef’s Tips)
Instructions
Different options for making paletas:

Option 1

Only 1 cup of each fruit is needed for this option. Skip step 3 of the next section and proceed to “For the paletas”. Fill each mold with a single fruit flavour or layer the juices, freezing each layer before adding the next layer of fruit juice.

Option 2

Line mold with one type of fruit and lime slices. Freeze. Fill with the corresponding juice. For example: mango and lime slices, fill with mango mixture. Repeat process with the cherry and kiwi mixtures.

Option 3

Line mold with one type of fruit and lime. Freeze. Fill with a different fruit juice. For example: cherry pieces and lime slices, fill with kiwi mixture. Repeat process, switching up the fruit and fruit mixtures to create mismatched flavour pairings.

Option 4

Line mold with a mixture of the fresh fruit and lime. Freeze. Fill with the juice of either mango, kiwi, or cherry. For example: mixed fruit pieces and lime slices, fill with cherry mixture. Repeat process with the other mixtures.

Option 5

Line mold with a mixture of the fresh fruit and lime slices. Freeze. Layer the juices, freezing each layer before adding the next layer. For example: mixed fruit and lime slices, layer with cherry, mango, and kiwi mixtures.

For the lime syrup base:

Step 1

In a small pot, combine water, the Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar, strips of lime zest, and salt over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Step 2

Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off heat and add the fresh lime juice and Mexican chili-lime seasoning. Stir and cover. Let mixture infuse and cool; 15 minutes. Place into the fridge to chill until cold.

Step 3

While syrup is chilling, prepare fruits if making Options 2 to 4. Remove ¼ cup of each fruit (mangoes, kiwi, and cherries) and finely dice or thinly slice. Sprinkle or line each frozen pop mold with the pieces of fruit (mangoes, kiwi, and/or cherries). Add thinly sliced lime wheels or wedges, if desired. Place into the freezer to freeze fruit into place.

Step 4

To prevent fruit from falling to the bottom of each mold, lay frozen pop mold on its side when freezing.

For the paletas:

Step 1

Strain completely chilled syrup and discard solids. Divide syrup into 3 equal portions, approximately ¼ cup (63 ml) per portion.

Step 2

Place the remaining 1 cup of mango chunks into a blender (see Chef’s Tips). Add in one portion of the spicy lime syrup. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large liquid measuring cup or small pitcher. Set aside in the fridge. Repeat the process with the kiwi and the cherries, rinsing out the blender after each fruit is processed and placing each in its own container.

Step 3

Depending on the option chosen, divide the blended fruit evenly into the molds lined with fruit and Iime pieces, leaving about ½ inch of clearance from the top. Place into the freezer.

Step 4

After 1 hour, cover the mold with the provided top or a double layer of foil. Insert wooden sticks into the centre of each paleta. Freeze for an additional 3 hours until completely solid, preferably overnight.

Step 5

If making layers, evenly divide one of the fruit mixtures into each frozen pop mold. Place into the freezer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes to freeze the first layer. Slowly pour in the second fruit mixture. Repeat the freezing process until the mixture is just hard enough to add the last layer. Leave about ¼ to ½ inch of clearance from the top. Place into the freezer. After 20 minutes, cover, and insert wooden sticks into the centre of each paleta. Freeze for an additional 3 hours until completely solid, or overnight.

To remove:

Step 1

Dip the molds into a pan or sink of warm water as high up the sides of the mold as possible; 20 to 30 seconds. Remove each paleta, dip or sprinkle with Mexican chili-lime seasoning, if desired, and quickly place into a freezer-safe bag and into the freezer.

Step 2

Alternatively, line an airtight container with waxed paper or plastic wrap and layer paletas between additional sheets of waxed paper. Cover and freeze for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Paletas are best eaten within a week but can be kept in the freezer, well-wrapped, in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

A lady’s hand holding a three-layer cherry, mango, and kiwi paleta by the stick.