Coconut Berry Popsicles ~ Paletas de Coco y Moras

 

It’s been quiet over here at Flan & Apple Pie, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been doing a fair amount of cooking and baking. I had a really busy school year since I switched from teaching elementary Spanish to high school Spanish, and we have three family weddings this summer, so that means lots of showers and even more cookie baking.

But, I can never pass up the opportunity to participate in my favorite blogging event of the year — Lola’s (Lola’s Cocina) Annual #PaletaWeek. This is the 4th year of Paleta Week, and every year I am impressed by the incredible creativity of this community. The possibilities are truly endless, and this really is the perfect summer treat.

Paletas are simply Mexico’s version of a popsicle, but they tend to include more fresh fruit and juices.

 

Depending on where you live, you don’t have to look too far to find the ingredients for this year’s paleta — wild black raspberries.

Here in southwestern Pennsylvania, these berries are at their peak ripeness. You just have to keep your eyes open if you take a walk along a trail or near woods. These bushes can usually be found near clearings or where brush is growing. Just be careful and look out for poison ivy. I always wear long pants and boots when I go picking.

I decided to swirl these berries into some creamy coconut milk that I perfumed with #VanillafromMexico. I love coconut milk because it is high in healthy fats that lend a smoothness to these paletas. But, my favorite part of this summer’s treat is the sprinkle of fresh nutmeg to round out the creamy-tart combination. (Thanks to my taste-testing husband for the suggestion.)

If you can’t find black raspberries, no worries. Any berry will do the trick. These are a cinch to make and are a fun way to showcase such an ephemeral ingredient.

Be sure to visit Lola’s Cocina this week for lots of creative paleta recipes, and you can check out my past contributions below:

Summer 2016 – Caramelized Pineapple and Cream Paletas

Summer 2017 – Carrot Cake Horchata Paletas

Summer 2018 – Vanilla Almond Milk Paletas with Cacao Nibs

Coconut Berry Paletas

Click here for printable recipe.

2 cups unflavored full fat coconut milk* (or any milk of your choice)

2 TBSP maple syrup (or any liquid sweetener)

2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 cup wild black raspberries (or any berry like raspberries, blackberries, mulberries)

Freshly grated nutmeg

→Whisk together coconut milk*, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

→Sprinkle some berries into paleta molds. Pour some milk on top. Sprinkle in some more berries. Then, add more milk. Continue to do this until the paleta is filled to the top. Then, take a popsicle stick and mash the berries a bit so that the juice seeps into the coconut milk.

→Place the lid on top of the mold and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight.

→To unmold, dip in warm water and carefully wiggle the popsicle sticks. Once they’ve been unmolded, you may need to freeze them once more before serving.

→Using a Microplane grater, sprinkle some freshly grated nutmeg on each paleta right before serving. Enjoy!

NOTES:

• I highly suggest this brand of coconut milk. It is incredibly creamy and doesn’t include any added stabilizers. I also like that it comes in a box rather than a can because then you don’t have to worry about BPA-lined cans. In addition, it doesn’t usually separate like the canned version, so it’s always super creamy when you open it.
• If you decide to use the canned version of coconut milk, it may be separated when you open it. I like to warm it a little on the stove to incorporate the coconut fat back into the liquid.