These Mexican chocolate pops, or paletas, are made with a frozen whirl of bittersweet chocolate, brown sugar, rich cinnamon, un pocoquito of cayenne pepper, and lots of half and half.
These luscious dark chocolate pops have a hint of texture and spice similar to Mexican ground chocolate.–Charity Ferreira
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Mexican Chocolate FAQs
How is Mexican chocolate different from other chocolate?
If you’ve never experienced Mexican chocolate, you might be surprised by these frozen pops. These aren’t your average, milky, fudge-like bars. You know the ones we mean—while adored, they’re just not the same.
Mexican chocolate usually comes in a disc that’s made to be ground down and used in cooking; it’s not generally used for eating as-is. It’s grainy (because of the sugar), somewhat bitter, and minimally processed.
Sometimes, flavors are added. It makes a killer hot chocolate and mole sauce but it’s not thought of as candy—it’s not made to be eaten out of hand. These frozen pops reflect the true taste of Mexican chocolate, heavy on true cocoa flavor.
In this recipe
Mexican Chocolate Pops
Equipment
- Ice pop molds or small Dixie cups, popsicle sticks
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more or less to taste
- 2 cups half-and-half
Directions
- To make the chocolate pops, place the chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the half-and-half to a gentle simmer. Pour the half-and-half over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is well combined.
- Pour the mixture into ice pop molds and insert sticks. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 week.
- To unmold the chocolate pops, run hot water over the outsides of the molds for a few seconds, being careful not to let it splash over the top of the pops, then gently tug on the sticks.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is one of the easiest recipes ever. I actually didn’t have any pop molds empty, as I have been trying various recipes the last couple of weeks. I poured the prepared mixture into ice cube molds instead. So good!
The slight burn of the cayenne at the back of my throat made me think of making these the next time I get a sore throat—it felt really nice. The texture absolutely reminds you of a block of Mexican chocolate. Very good flavor and texture. Will definitely make this again in a larger pop size.
The prep for these Mexican chocolate pops is very simple and stress-free, especially since I used my processor to grate the chocolate. The hard part was waiting for them to freeze so I could try one.
These pops had a lovely consistency and creamy texture. The touch of cayenne seemed to brighten the flavor of the cinnamon. There was just enough bittersweet taste from the chocolate, with a touch of heat on the finish. These were so much better than the standard Fudgsicle.
This was a great treat on a hot summer day. The Mexican chocolate pops had a nice texture that wasn’t too icy and was just a little creamy.
My husband loved them, though next time, I’ll probably cut back a bit on the cayenne. This was an exceptionally quick and easy dessert to make and an even quicker and easier dessert to make disappear.
These Mexican chocolate pops had two flavor components. The first taste was rich and deeply chocolatey, warmed with a hint of cinnamon. After that taste dissolved, there was a strong burst of cayenne. I wanted the sensations to mix a little more in my mouth.
If I were to try this again, I would cut the amount of cayenne pepper to 1/8 teaspoon instead of the 1/4 teaspoon called for in the recipe.
Originally published August 9, 2011
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Man! We have the SAME taste in food. That’s why I love this site. Thanks you folks!
Laughs! We consider that high praise, indeed. You’re so very welcome, Andi. Our pleasure.