My Helado de potecito recipe (frozen fruit jars) is a new twist on an old childhood treat. Make it a Dominican summer with helado de guanabana (soursop), strawberry, or mango.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Feb 1, 2016
❝ I Loved your recipe. ❞
Why we ❤️ it
Any Dominican of my generation will get nostalgia when reading the words "Helado de potecito", but you can still buy Helado de potecitos in many a Dominican barrio today.
Instead of helado en funditas (in plastic bags) I made helado de potecitos (in reused jars) because the latter are more environmentally friendly.
Summer wouldn't be the same without that nearly-daily treat: inexpensive, tasty, and incredibly refreshing, and great way to get your fruit servings.
What's helado de potecito?
Helado de Potecito, is a Dominican summer treat made by freezing fruit juice in little reusable glass jars (frascos de compota).
Like other cottage industries in the DR (such as ice, juice, frituras, pasteles en hoja, etc.), they were a way for stay-at-home moms to contribute some income to the family coffers and, in some cases, even support the entire family with it.
It was also a great example of reusing, as the glass jars --typically potecitos de compota (baby food jars)-- had to be returned.
Helado de potecito y fresas.
Fruit options
I made these with one is just fruit, no sugar needed (though you can add some if the fruits are not sweet enough for your taste.
- Helado de guanabana
- Helado de mango
- Helado de fresa (strawberries)
- Helado de mango mixed with strawberries.
- Coconut (like these popsicles)
- Batata y coco (sweet potato and coconut, like these popsicles)
You can get creative by adding other fruits if you wish.
Top tips
- Adding sugar: Some fruits may need some added sugar.
- Sweeteners: If you do not want to use sugar but want to make it sweeter, use your preferred sweetener, like agave, honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Vanilla: You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the guanabana if you like it.
About this recipe
I have to confess that this isn't as much a recipe as a sort of guide, an invitation for you to introduce your kids (and yourself!) to the treats of our childhood.
I loved buying them from the lady around the corner when I was a kid, or the neighbor in San Carlos where I spent summers in Santo Domingo. They cost a "chele" (Dominican penny), and getting one every afternoon was the highlight of the summer.
These have the added advantage being creamier as the pureed fruit doesn't harden as much as liquid juice, it also has more nutrients.
The only problem? We ate them all in one sitting.
Which one was your childhood favorite? Let me know in the comments!
Video
Recipe
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Helado de Potecito [Video+Recipe] Guanabana, Mango & Strawberry
Ingredients
- 1 cup guanabana (soursop) pulp, seeds removed
- 1 cup strawberries, diced
- 1 cup mango, diced
Instructions
1. Puree fruit
Puree the fruits one by one with a food processor or a stick blender.Set aside.
2. Making jars
- Pour the fruit purees into jars, on their own, or combined. Freeze until it's mostly hard (2-3 hours).
3. Freeze and serve
- If they have been in the freezer for a while and are a bit hard, leave them out of the fridge for a few minutes to soften a bit.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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Helados en funditas, paletas, helados en potes and more
Frozen fruit in baby food jars or baggies were available from many a neighborhood doña, made with tropical fruits, and a way for us to spend our 'cheles' back in the day.
We have actually turned many of these popular treats into popsicles, especially the most popular ones, like coconut, batata, and my version of the popular "frescavena" of my childhood. You will notice that we have made all of them in popsicles or jars. Helados en funditas are not environmentally friendly at all.
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