Paletas of Summer

Posted by Degan on July 18th, 2011

Matt and I rode our motorcycles to Salmon Arm on the long weekend. There was much consulting of the weather (as there has been for most of this summer) and then it wasn’t actively raining so we decided to go anyways. There is some beautiful scenery between here and there, but the scene that sticks out most in my mind was the “Now Open!!” banner hanging over the yellow fiberglass duck mascot at the Bridal Falls waterpark. It still wasn’t quite raining but my temperature gauge read 11 degrees and the duck was the only colourful thing in a landscape of dishwater grey. There was one car in the parking lot and for kilometres afterwards I couldn’t stop thinking about those poor Canadian kids who were going to have to go home and have hot chocolate instead of popsicles.

But summer will come eventually and when it does, we’ll be ready. I received a copy of Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas (Ten Speed Press) by Fany Gershon and my freezer is full of fantastically decadent frozen treats.

Paletas are Mexican frozen treats on a stick, popsicles if you will, usually made with juice. And in spite of the weather, they seem to be the hot thing this summer. Saveur has posted a series of recipes (including tamarind chile and rice pudding), Martha Stewart Magazine did a cover story a month or so ago and in addition to Paletas there are 3 more frozen treat books out. New York popsicle storefronts, People’s Pops and La Newyorkina (by the author of Paletas) appear to be doing a roaring business.

So what’s the attraction? It’s been a couple of years since it’s occurred to me to try making almost everything I consume on a regular basis – with the idea of leveling up by adding fresh and/or interesting ingredients. But somehow frozen treats were still solidly ruled by chemical-filled slurpees and freezies.

No longer. Since making several of Fany Gershon’s recipes – fresh cantaloupe, spicy pineapple and chilies (with tequila!) and my favorite – roasted banana and rum ice pops – it seems that with a blender and a popsicle mold you can pretty easily have the most interesting ice box around.

Now we just need some sun.

Roasted Banana Ice Pops

3 ripe bananas (or 2 small ripe plantains)

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 TBSP sugar

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp Mexican cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 oz dark rum (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap the bananas (with their skins still on) in foil individually. Roast until cooked through and soft, about 30 minutes.

2. Let sit until just cool enough to handle. Put the flesh in a bowl, discard the peels, and mash the flesh lightly with a fork. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir until the sugars have dissolved.

3. Put the banana mixture in a blender. Add the milk, cream, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt and rum and blend until smooth. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

4. If using conventional molds, divide the mixture among the molds, snap on the lid, and freeze until solid, about 5 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (1.5 – 2 hours), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 4-5 hours. If using an instant pop maker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.