Hibiscus is a flavor that you could say is quintessentially Mexican, writes New York City pastry chef Fany Gerson in her 2011 cookbook, “Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice and Aguas Frescas” (Ten Speed Press, $17). For this recipe, Gerson, who was born in Mexico City, decided to pair the traditional floral paleta with raspberries, an uncommon pairing.
To get the best flavor in these ice pops, she mixes the raspberries with sugar and lets them sit to help draw out their juices. Then she pours in the agua de jamaica, or hibiscus cooler, allowing the juices to blend before freezing.
The hibiscus cooler is made with dried hibiscus flowers, also known as roselle or Jamaican sorrel. “Essentially, it’s an herbal iced tea, but perhaps the most beautiful one you’ve ever had, with a brilliant magenta color extracted from the flowers,” she says. “I like to soak the flowers overnight, as is traditional in my family, because I feel this extracts more of the subtle, tart, berrylike flavor.”
Paletas de Jamaica con Frambuesa (Hibiscus-Raspberry Ice Pops)
Makes 8 to 10
INGREDIENTS
2 cups agua de jamaica (see below)
2/3 cup sugar, divided use
4 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
DIRECTIONS
Combine the agua de jamaica and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled.
Mix the raspberries with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and let sit until the berries release some of their juices, about 30 minutes.
Divide the raspberries and their juices evenly among the molds, then pour in the agua de jamaica mixture, dividing it evenly. If using conventional molds, snap on the lid and freeze until solid, about 5 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (1½ to 2 hours), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 4 to 5 hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Cooler)
Makes 4 cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
4 cups water
1/3 cup sugar, or more to taste
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the flowers in cold water and drain thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan, cover with the water, and let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add water to bring the volume up to 4 cups. If the flavor is too intense, add more water as needed. You can also add a little more sugar if you like.
Refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve as is or over ice.
— From Fany Gerson’s “Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice and Aguas Frescas (Ten Speed Press, $17)
