Spicy Mango Ice Pops (Paletas de Mango Enchilado)

Mango and chile has become one of the most common combinations in sweets in Mexico; in fact, when you eat fresh mango, powdered chile of some kind is always on the table. The chile powder you use is a matter of taste. It isn't just about the heat; it's also about the flavor. I particularly like the piquín chile from Oaxaca, but feel free to substitute it for ground guajillo, chipotle, or your personal favorite.

• 
  
  3/4 cup sugar
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup water
  
  


• 
  
  2 dried arbol chiles, with seeds, broken into pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups fresh mango purée
  
  


• 
  
  3 small limes, juiced
  
  


• 
  
  1 to 2 medium mangoes, diced
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 to 3/4 cup ground piquín or other chile powder (depending on how spicy you want them)
  
  

Combine the sugar, water, and chile pieces in a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and strain. Stir in the mango purée and the lime juice. In a medium bowl, toss together the mango pieces with the chile powder.


Divide the chile-coated mango chunks among ice pop molds or wax-lined paper cups, then pour the mango purée mixture over the top. Freeze until beginning to set, 3 to 4 hours. Insert the sticks. Let freeze for at least 3 hours more, and then unmold as directed or peel off the paper cups.


If you prefer to use the chile powder on the outside, unmold the pops and allow to thaw slightly (so the chile powder will stick to it), place the chile powder in a shallow bowl, then dip the pops in to coat.

Blackberry-Orange Ice Pops

An infusion of black tea adds a note of complexity to these sweet blackberry pops, with orange segments providing a bright tang. Create your own customized ice pop recipe with the Recipe Maker.

• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch of kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. loose black tea leaves
  
  


• 
  
  4 cups blackberries
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup orange segments, cut free of their membranes and halved
  
  

Combine the sugar, salt, and 1/2  cup water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and make sure the sugar has dissolved; add the tea leaves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Strain through a fine strainer into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup, and discard the solids in the strainer.

Puree the blackberries in batches in a blender and strain the puree if you like. Measure out 2 cups of puree (save any extra for another use) and combine it with the syrup.

Distribute the orange segments among ten 1/3-cup pop molds. Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Stir gently with a Popsicle stick to distribute the orange segments. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze again until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more.

To unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Unmold and store the pops in individual resealable plastic bags; they’re best eaten within 3 weeks.

Creamy Orange-Vanilla Ice Pops

Think of these pops as the ultimate homemade Creamsicle: creamy Greek yogurt combines with fresh-squeezed orange juice, with flecks of real vanilla bean. Create your own customized ice pop recipe with the Recipe Maker.

• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch of kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 vanilla bean (about 3 inches), split lengthwise
  
  


• 
  
  3 oranges, juiced
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
  
  

Combine the sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and make sure the sugar has dissolved; add the vanilla bean. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Strain through a fine strainer into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup, and discard the solids in the strainer.

Measure out 1 cup of the orange juice (if you have extra, save it for another use). Combine it with the syrup. Stir in the yogurt until well-combined.

Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze again until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more.

To unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Unmold and store the pops in individual resealable plastic bags; they’re best eaten within 3 weeks.

Grape-Cucumber Ice Pops

There's nothing quite so refreshing as these cool-as-a-cucumber pops on a hot, sticky day. Juniper berries infuse the base of puréed green grapes, with diced cucumbers adding a little crunch. Create your own customized ice pop recipe with the Recipe Maker.

• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch of kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. juniper berries, lightly crushed
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups green seedless grapes
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup small-diced cucumber
  
  

Combine the sugar, salt, and 1/2  cup water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and make sure the sugar has dissolved; add the juniper berries. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Strain through a fine strainer into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup, and discard the solids in the strainer.

Puree the grapes in batches in a blender. Measure out 2 cups of puree (save any extra for another use) and combine it with the syrup.

Distribute the diced cucumber among ten 1/3-cup pop molds. Add the fruit mixture to each mold, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top to allow for expansion. Stir gently with a Popsicle stick to distribute the diced cucumber. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze again until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more.

To unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Unmold and store the pops in individual resealable plastic bags; they’re best eaten within 3 weeks.

Spicy Mango Ice Pops (Paletas de Mango Enchilado)

Mango and chile has become one of the most common combinations in sweets in Mexico; in fact, when you eat fresh mango, powdered chile of some kind is always on the table. The chile powder you use is a matter of taste. It isn't just about the heat; it's also about the flavor. I particularly like the piquín chile from Oaxaca, but feel free to substitute it for ground guajillo, chipotle, or your personal favorite.

• 
  
  3/4 cup sugar
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup water
  
  


• 
  
  2 dried arbol chiles, with seeds, broken into pieces
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups fresh mango purée
  
  


• 
  
  3 small limes, juiced
  
  


• 
  
  1 to 2 medium mangoes, diced
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 to 3/4 cup ground piquín or other chile powder (depending on how spicy you want them)
  
  

Combine the sugar, water, and chile pieces in a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and strain. Stir in the mango purée and the lime juice. In a medium bowl, toss together the mango pieces with the chile powder.


Divide the chile-coated mango chunks among ice pop molds or wax-lined paper cups, then pour the mango purée mixture over the top. Freeze until beginning to set, 3 to 4 hours. Insert the sticks. Let freeze for at least 3 hours more, and then unmold as directed or peel off the paper cups.


If you prefer to use the chile powder on the outside, unmold the pops and allow to thaw slightly (so the chile powder will stick to it), place the chile powder in a shallow bowl, then dip the pops in to coat.

Frozen Mexican Hot Chocolate Pops

The spiciness of Mexican chocolate (many brands include cinnamon or other spices) lends a little heat to these creamy ice pops.
Watch Abby make these pops.

• 
  
  1-1/2 cups half-and-half, divided
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. Mexican chocolate, chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. coffee-flavored liqueur
  
  

Tip:

Can't find Mexican chocolate? Check out its "Ingredient Discovery" page for an easy substitution.

Have ready four 5- to 6-oz. ice pop molds and make room in the freezer, making sure the molds are level and secure.

Put 1/2 cup of the half-and-half, the chopped chocolate, and the sugar in a small heat-proof bowl and heat in a microwave or over simmering water until melted. Whisk until smooth with no gritty bits left undissolved. Reheat if necessary. Add the remaining half-and-half and the coffee liqueur and whisk until blended. To keep the chocolate mixture from separating during freezing, refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until it’s cold or, for faster chilling, set the bowl over a bowl filled with ice and stir frequently until cold.

Pour an equal amount of the chocolate mixture into the molds. Cover each mold with foil and push a wooden ice pop stick through the foil and into the middle of each pop. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours, or for up to 3 days.

To serve, remove the foil and slip the ice pops from the molds.