Paletas (fruit pops)

Strawberry Paletas

makes 5 or 6

¼ cup water
¼ cup granulated sugar
4 cups hulled, quartered strawberries
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a low simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and volume reduces to ¼ cup. Let simple syrup cool slightly.

Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and process until smooth; add simple syrup and lime juice to taste.

Portion into ice pop molds and freeze for about 1 hour. Place ice pop sticks into the molds and allow pops to freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Simple syrup can be replaced with sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. You can also infuse the simple syrup with spices like ginger or cinnamon while cooking to add another layer of flavor. Lemon or orange juice can substitute for the lime juice.

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Peach-Ginger Paletas

makes 5 or 6

¼ cup water
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. peeled, chopped ginger root
5 cups diced peaches
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime Juice

Combine water, sugar, and ginger in a saucepan; bring to a low simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and volume reduces to ¼ cup. Remove the simple syrup from the heat and let it cool slightly. Strain the ginger and reserve it for the next step. 

Add the peaches and half the ginger to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the simple syrup and lime juice to taste.

Portion into ice pop molds and freeze for about 1 hour. Place ice pop sticks into the molds and allow pops to freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

While making the simple syrup, you can infuse spices, such as turmeric and black peppercorns or cinnamon, to compliment the ginger and peach. Be sure to strain these spices before using the simple syrup. 

If you want a creamier paleta, add coconut milk or yogurt (dairy or non-dairy). For this recipe, ¼ cup is a good starting place, but you can adjust to your preference.