Mexico is a hot country and sometimes Mexicans just want to cool off. They have many cool snacks to choose from, including ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. Many Mexican dessert recipes include tropical fruits, chocolate, or cinnamon. There are men selling these cool treats up and down the Mexican streets, a bit like ice cream trucks in the summer in the United States.



Paletas - The Refreshing Mexican Popsicle

Popsicles are popular in Mexico. Paletas, which mean "little shovels" in Spanish, can be found in Mexican grocery stores. They come in regular shapes, but their flavors are what differs them from American popsicles. Some paletas include milk and tropical fruits, while others are full of more ice and more flavors that are tart. Some flavors that are not very common in America are chili, and cucumber.

The chili one is a bit spicy, so pepper lovers would enjoy this flavor. Paletas are easy to make at home and carry little fat. If you would prefer to buy them, paletas are sold at many street vendors in Hispanic neighborhoods. A California-based company named Palapa Azul makes paletas to sell to a much wider market, not just for Hispanics. You might even be able to purchase paletas at Wal-Mart!

Mexican Fried Ice Cream - Yes Fried

Mexican fried ice cream is another mouth-watering treat. It is somewhat Americanized. You can find fried ice cream at Mexican restaurants in the United States and also at festivals. The ice cream used is more frozen than majority of ice creams. The ball of ice cream is rolled with different items such as cookie crumbs and then cooked in the deep fryer at a very low temperature. This allows the ice cream not to melt. Once it is fried, toppings can be added. Cinnamon is a common topping. Fried ice cream has become so common that it is also served in Chinese and Japanese restaurants. They add different flavors to the ice cream. You might find it green tea flavored.

Mexican Ice Cream with Cajeta

If you are enjoying vanilla ice cream, cajeta makes a very good topping. Cajeta is a Mexican type of caramel syrup. It can be made from sweetened caramelized milk, which is cooked slowly until it is very thick. You can make it from other ingredients if you do not want to use sweetened milk.

You might find cajeta made with juice or a different sweetened liquid. Different parts of Mexico may know the milk candy by different names such as leche quemada and dulce de leche. It is topped on ice cream. Even the Hershey Company produces cajeta, which is targeted for Mexican food lovers. Cajeta is a great addition to ice cream, especially on a hot day in Mexico.

These cold treats are quite straightforward to make yourself, if you want to have a go. You could research some different techniques and flavors and see what the results are like. If you have kids, it is a lot of fun for them to help you in the kitchen with your Mexican fried ice cream, paletas, or cajeta recipe and, of course, they will love the finished products. Cool Mexican sweet snacks are perfect on a hot day or on any other day of the year.