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These creamy strawberry paletas are SO yummy! Milk + strawberries = match made in heaven. It’s really easy to make and they’re so pretty to look at!
Yesterday I posted a water based paleta recipe, Mango & Chamoy Paletas. Today I’m going to show you how to make cream based paletas. This is a strawberry paleta but you can use this cream base for almost any fruit flavor!
I definitely prefer a water based paleta, but strawberry is my favorite flavor for cream paletas. Milk and strawberries just go so well together!
Ingredients:
- Strawberries- you’ll need about 1 pound of fresh strawberries for this recipe. We will be turning it into a puree and we need around 2 cups of it.
- Cream- a combination of heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and crema (Mexican sour cream) worked very well for me. The sweetened condensed milk also works as the sweetener, but you are welcome to add more sugar if you want. Mexican sour cream is not as sour as American sour cream so don’t worry about that ingredient- just trust me on this!
- Cellulose gum (or corn starch)- This is the secret to making the paletas consistently creamy and NOT icy. More details about this below.
How to achieve a smooth, creamy texture
The cream portion of this recipe can be used as the base for almost any fruit flavor cream paleta!
Two ways to make a creamy paleta:
Use cellulose gum in your cream base. The cream base has heavy whipping cream, Mexican crema (creme fraiche), and sweetened condensed milk. If you don’t have cellulose gum, it’s totally fine to leave it out or see option #2. I highly recommend the cellulose gum because it really helps to stabilize ice cream so it’s super smooth and creamy.
Heat the cream base and add cornstarch to thicken it. This activates the corn starch to absorb water and prevents icy crystals from forming, instead turning into a custard-like texture. The batch I made with this method was extremely creamy & smooth, but be careful not to undercook the cream base because you can end up with a starchy taste and texture if you don’t fully activate the corn starch.
Sweetness
I don’t like super sweet desserts so my recipe is a bit on the conservative side with the sugar. The amount will also depend on how sweet your strawberries are already. The paleta is getting its sweetness from two sources in this recipe- sugar to macerate the strawberries, and sweetened condensed milk in the cream base. Make adjustments according to your taste.
Paletas, especially fruit based ones, tend to lose some of its flavor and sweetness when they are frozen, so keep that in mind before you freeze your mixture.
Equipment needed:
To make paletas, you will need a popsicle mold, popsicle sticks, and plastic bags for storing. You will also need a blender and electric hand mixer.
I recommend a silicone popsicle mold because they are easier to remove the popsicles from. The exact one I have is no longer available on Amazon, but I found a similar one that you can purchase. It also comes with the popsicle sticks and baggies. Here is the link to purchase:
Popsicle mold, sticks, & baggies
What is the difference between a popsicle and a paleta?
Though similar, paletas and popsicles do have some key differences that will prove paletas are way better, in my opinion.
Popsicles are mass produced and have lots of additives and artificial flavoring. Paletas use natural ingredients like fruits and are made fresh, so they don’t require additives or preservatives to extend shelf life.
Paletas also have a rich history and are culturally important to Mexican street snacks. Nowadays, you will find plenty of brick and mortar paleta shops but it is still common to get your paletas on the street from paleteros (ice cream carts).
Two Types of Paletas
There are MANY paleta flavors & combinations, but there are generally 2 types of paletas made:
- Water based- these are typically fruit pops that have a water or juice base. These paletas are more true to the integrity of the fruits, and are also healthier (and vegan too!). A few of my favorites on the blog are lime, strawberry, and mango & chamoy!
- Cream based- these are creamy paletas with a texture that is more similar to ice cream than a popsicle. They usually have some combination of heavy cream, milk, mexican crema, and/or sweetened condensed milk. These also tend to have more flavors available because it isn’t limited to fruits- some common popular flavors are coconut, coffee, and arroz con leche.
Try some of my other paleta recipes:
Click here to see a list of ALL of my paleta recipes!
Creamy Strawberry Paletas
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema, (creme fraiche)
- 6-8 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 tsp cellulose gum, or 2 tsp corn starch
Instructions
- Wash then soak strawberries in cold water for 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water again
- Roughly chop the strawberries. You an also cut smaller chunks and set them aside to add into the popsicle mold later if you want.
- Cover the strawberries in sugar and let it sit for 20-30 minutes to macerate.
- Blend the macerated strawberries until you get a smooth puree. You should have about 1.5 to 2 cups of puree.
- Combine the heavy whipping cream, crema, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and cellulose gum with an electric mixer. Mix for about a minute or until it starts to thicken a bit. The cellulose gum works as a stabilizer and gives you a paleta that is creamy, not icy.Alternatively: This is what I recommend if you're using cornstarch. Combine the heavy whipping cream, crema, salt, and sweetened condensed milk in a small sauce pan. When combined (no chunks), turn on the heat to low. Stir and do not let it boil, but once it's hot add about 1/4 cup to a small bowl with the cornstarch and mix until smooth. Then add it back to the saucepan and continue cooking over low heat, stirring until it thickens. Let it cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
- Add the strawberry puree and mix until just combined, then fold in the strawberry chunks if using.
- Pour into your popsicle mold
- It depends on your popsicle mold, but be mindful about the popsicle stick placement when you're sticking them into the mold. You don't want to push them all the way down because it leaves very little room to hold the stick, but you also want to make sure its deep enough. Also make sure it is centered from all sides.
- Freeze for at least 8 hours. To remove the paletas from the mold, place it in warm water for about 20 seconds to loosen.
- With a little wiggling and force, the popsicles will slide out perfectly. I like to stretch the sides of the silicone mold to help loosen it up a bit more.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. You can keep them longer but they start to form more ice crystals and get harder over time.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
canβt find cellulose gum
Hi Stella, canβt wait to try these! Could you use this same base and add vanilla for plain vanilla paletas? And then vanilla and cocoa powder for chocolate?
First recipe of yours I ever tried and it is AMAZING! My family loves it. It tastes even better than store-bought.
Girl, I love me some paletas! Especially homemade π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
Such an amazing yet simple recipe to follow
My niece followed this recipe and made it for us. It was delicious.!!
I made the strawberry one last summer. Trust me when itβs 115 outside these take you away to the islands. Yummmy!
It’s dangerous for me to have this recipe because I a popsicle addiction! π
Wonderful recipe! Family really enjoyed it.
If you use the cellulose gum you don’t have to heat it? Only if using corn starch (for the cream base)?
Yes that is correct π
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Question though, is cellulose gum the same as xantham gum? I can’t find the cellulose gum in stores.
Hi Alicia, they are not exactly the same thing but I believe they would both do the same job in this case π