Dessert: Mexico – Morelos (Central Mexico) – Paletas de Morelos (Morelos Popsicles)

Serving Size: 8

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 15 min

Additional 6 hrs

Total 6 hrs 40 min

Ingredients

- For the mango-lime paletas (makes 3)
  - 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chopped ripe mango, packed — about 1 large mango (approx. 250 g)
  - 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
  - Pinch of salt
- For the flor de jamaica (hibiscus) paletas (makes 3)
  - 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
  - 1/4 cup (15 g) dried flor de jamaica (dried hibiscus)
  - 3 tbsp (45 g) granulated sugar (or to taste)
  - 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lime juice, optional
- For the tamarind-chile paletas (makes 2)
  - 1/3 cup (85 g) tamarind paste (or 2 oz / 60 g tamarind pulp rehydrated and strained)
  - 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  - 2 tbsp (30 g) piloncillo grated or dark brown sugar
  - 1/8–1/4 tsp (0.5–1 ml) ground chile piquin or chile en polvo (adjust to heat preference)
  - Pinch of salt
- Equipment & finishing
  - Popsicle molds (8 x approx. 4 oz / 120 ml) and sticks
  - Blender or food processor
  - Fine-mesh sieve (for jamaica and tamarind, optional)

Instructions

Short Description:
Fresh, fruit-forward paletas (popsicles) typical of Morelos, made as an assortment of mango-lime, flor de jamaica (hibiscus), and tamarind-chile paletas that showcase local produce and tart-sweet regional flavors.

Regional Notes:
This Morelos version emphasizes very fresh, ripe local fruits and the regional use of flor de jamaica (hibiscus) and tamarind, often finished with lime or chile. Compared with generic paletas, these rely on lightly sweetened purees and hibiscus infusion rather than heavy dairy or artificial flavoring.

1. Prepare molds: rinse and set your popsicle molds on a flat tray. Decide placement: 3 mango, 3 jamaica, 2 tamarind.
2. Make the mango-lime puree: in a blender combine chopped mango, sugar (or honey), lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until very smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and add up to 1 tbsp (15 g) more sugar if needed. Pour into a measuring cup; you should have about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml). Spoon or pour into 3 molds, leaving a small gap at the top for expansion.
3. Make the flor de jamaica infusion: bring 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add dried flor de jamaica, cover and steep 8–10 minutes until deep ruby and tart. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid — you should have about 1 1/4–1 1/2 cups (300–360 ml). While still warm, stir in 3 tbsp (45 g) sugar until dissolved and add 1 tsp (5 ml) lime juice if using. Cool to room temperature, then pour into 3 molds.
4. Make the tamarind-chile mixture: in a small saucepan whisk tamarind paste, 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, and piloncillo (or brown sugar). Warm gently over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is homogenous, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in chile and a pinch of salt; taste and adjust sweetness/heat. If the paste has fibers, press the warm mixture through a sieve into a bowl to remove fibers. Cool slightly, then pour into the remaining 2 molds.
5. Insert sticks and freeze: place popsicle sticks into molds (if your mold requires sticks after semi-freezing, follow manufacturer directions). Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
6. Unmold and serve: to release paletas, run the molds under warm (not hot) water for 15–30 seconds until edges loosen, then gently pull. Serve immediately. Store extras wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 weeks for best flavor.
7. Serving suggestions: dust the tamarind paletas lightly with more chile or a squeeze of lime. For an extra Morelos touch, serve mango paletas with a tiny sprinkle of coarse sea salt and chile piquin.