Creamy Strawberry Paletas
These cream-based strawberry paletas are made with real fruit, and they are perfectly smooth & creamy, NOT icy!
Servings: 10 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
You can use this method and cream base to make most fruit flavor paletas.
