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Paletas de Vainilla con Cajeta

I heard of these paletas when I last visited Monterrey, but I never got to try them because for some absurd reason the ice cream shops are not open year-round. However, I thought they were an ingenious idea, so I immediately set about trying to create them. The paletas I heard about but never got to try had the caramel in the center—but recreating that effect was way too sticky and complicated to do at home. So I devised this simpler way to layer these two delicious flavors.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 8 to 10

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
7 egg yolks
3/4 to 1 cup cajeta, homemade (page 151) or store-bought

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream, the milk, sugar, scraped vanilla bean and pod (if you’re using the extract don’t add it now), and salt in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.

    Step 2

    Whisk the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the yolks and stir rapidly. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until it is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and stir in the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and the vanilla extract, if using. Chill over an ice bath, stirring, until cool. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top, refrigerate until completely cool, about 4 hours.

    Step 4

    Warm the cajeta slightly so it’s pourable. If you are using storebought cajeta in a glass jar, unscrew the lid, screw it on again lightly, place in a pot, and fill the pot three-fourths of the way up the sides with hot water. Warm over medium-low heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove the jar from the hot water with a towel. This will allow you to pour the cajeta much more easily.

    Step 5

    Add a little of the custard to the ice pop molds (about a quarter of the way up), then freeze for 1 hour. Next pour in a little cajeta. Continue alternating the vanilla custard with the cajeta until the molds are filled. Use a large skewer to swirl the mixture gently. Freeze for about 3 hours, until the creamsicles begin to set. Insert the sticks and let freeze for another 4 hours at least. Unmold as directed.

My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson Cookbook Cover
Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.
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