Paletas de Coco Fresco

Name: Paletas de Coco Fresco
Yield: makes 10 to 12
Ingredients: 1 coconut; Pinch of salt (optional); 2 cups very hot water; 3 cups whole milk; 3/4 cup sugar, or to taste; 1 (1-inch) piece Mexican cinnamon; 1/4 cup rum or coconut liqueur (optional)

By Fany Gerson

June 7, 2011

These paletas may seem very time-consuming, but the sweet and subtle flavor of fresh coconut is well worth the effort. You can prepare the shredded coconut up to a week in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Choose a coconut that feels heavy for its size and inspect the eyes, making sure there’s no liquid around them, as that indicates a rotten coconut. I usually like to buy two just in case one is bad. The worst thing that can happen is that you have extra coconut, which you can store in the freezer or dry in a 250°F oven to make dried shredded coconut.

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