Hibiscus paletas recipe
One of the most popular and refreshing drinks in Mexico is agua fresca de Jamaica, lightly sweetened hibiscus tea over ice. This recipe makes a more concentrated version to turn into an ice-cold refreshing paleta. This recipe makes 12 paletas.
Tip: you can buy stabiliser and hibiscus flowers from specialist online shops like Sous Chef.
Ingredients
- 700 g sugar
- 1 Mexican cinnamon stick
- 130 g dried hibiscus flowers
- 120 ml fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp sorbet or ice cream stabiliser
Details
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 12
Step-by-step
- If using a metal paleta or ice lolly mould, place in the freezer and let chill for 1–2 hours.
- In a saucepan, combine 2.13 litres (9 cups) water, the sugar and cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the hibiscus flowers.
- Let steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and cool.
- In a blender, combine the hibiscus syrup, lime juice, and stabiliser, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the paleta mixture into the frozen mould. Insert the sticks and freeze overnight.
- The next day, submerge the mould in a sink of tap-temperature water for 5–10 seconds. Then quickly remove the pops and transfer them to a prefrozen sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Store in the freezer until serving. This allows for quick service at the end of the meal. It is also advantageous because it allows the paletas, slightly warmed during the unmoulding process, to refreeze and retain their shape.
This recipe is from Cooking in Marfa: Welcome, We’ve Been Expecting You by Virginia Lebermann and Rocky Barnette. Published by Phaidon, £35.
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