Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

MexicanAuthentic Cuisine

Paletas de Mango con Chile

Serves 4 to 6 Dessert vegan, Desserts

Paletas de Mango con Chile

Paletas de Mango con Chile are a staple in the kitchens of Mexico during the hottest months, offering a sweet and spicy reprieve from the heat. This refreshing treat is beloved for its ability to bring people together at the table with its vibrant, tropical aroma and bright colors. It's a dish that reflects the everyday joy of Mexican home cooking, where simplicity meets bold, straightforward flavors.

Each bite of these paletas delivers the luscious sweetness of ripe mangoes, perfectly balanced with a tangy kick from lime juice and a fiery hint of chile piquín or Tajín. The fine salt punctuates the flavors, enhancing the natural fruitiness and spice. It's a cool, refreshing delight that dances on the palate, making it an irresistible treat for young and old alike.

Ingredients

  • 4ripe mangoes — peeled and cubed
  • 1 cupwater
  • 100 g (1/2 cup)sugar — or to taste
  • 3 tbsplime juice
  • 2 tbspchile piquín powder or Tajín
  • 1 pinchfine salt

Method

  1. Peel and pit the 4 ripe mangoes, then cut the flesh into chunks. Place the mango chunks into a blender. Add 1 cup of water, 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and a pinch of fine salt to the blender. Blend the mixture until it is smooth but retains a thick consistency. This texture will ensure the paletas have a rich, creamy mouthfeel.
  2. Once blended, taste the mango mixture for sweetness. It should taste slightly too sweet at this stage, as freezing will dull the sweetness. Adjust with a little more sugar if necessary to achieve this balance.
  3. Prepare your paleta molds. Spoon the mango mixture into the molds, filling them about halfway. Sprinkle a layer of 2 tablespoons of chile piquín powder or Tajín over the mango mixture. Continue filling the molds with the remaining mango mixture, ensuring the chile powder creates streaks throughout each paleta.
  4. Place the molds in the freezer. Allow them to freeze for about 2 hours until the mixture becomes slushy but not fully solid. At this point, insert wooden sticks into each mold. This timing ensures the sticks will stand upright.
  5. Return the molds to the freezer and let them freeze completely for at least six hours, or until the paletas are firm to the touch.
  6. To unmold, briefly dip the molds in warm water for a few seconds. This will loosen the paletas without melting them. Carefully remove each paleta from its mold.
  7. Dust each paleta with additional chile piquín powder or Tajín before serving. This final touch enhances the spicy-sweet contrast that makes these paletas so refreshing and satisfying.
Cover of Authentic Mexican Cuisine Preview the cookbookBrowse the dishes inside
From the cookbook

Authentic Mexican Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Mexican Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Mexican volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Buy the cookbook on Amazon Explore Mexican cuisine