Paletas de Tamarindo are lovely refreshing summertime treats. Tamarind fruit is the star ingredient in this fun, cold, icy dessert that we bring you in two traditional presentations. Tamarind popsicles are vegan, gluten-free, require no cooking, and so easy kids can help.
Why we ❤️ it
Not a summer can pass that I don't add one paleta recipe – my favorite frozen treats – to our recipe collection, and if you've ever cooled yourself with a tamarind juice, then you know what I am talking about. If you haven't, well, stop whatever you're doing, and let's get this started.
Oh, and we only need three ingredients for paleta de tamarindo, including water! No artificial colors or artificial flavor. Just good stuff. So put tamarindo, one of our favorite Dominican fruits, on your groceries list today.
How to make them
My preferred way, and the one I present here, is to start with peeled tamarind fruit (seed in). However, you can buy tamarind pulp, which makes it easier, and it's possibly easier to find. You can find tamarind in the frozen section (unless you have a tree nearby).
Top tips
You can use reusable popsicle molds (I have a whole collection!), you can use small cups with chopsticks, or you can freeze them in little jars (helado de potecitos), another popular choice in the Dominican Republic.
Some people boil the tamarind, but I prefer not to so I can maximize its nutritional properties. It just requires a bit of patience.
Use an equivalent amount of your favorite sweetener instead of sugar if you prefer it sugar-free.
Shake the molds gently every hour while freezing so the tamarind does not settle to the bottom.
Tamarind and tamarind popsicles (paletas de tamarindo).
About this recipe
Who hasn't had paletas or helado de tamarindo in the Dominican Republic? It's so simple and refreshing, and many of us had easy access to free tamarind as children. Did you try it? Do you make it any differently? Let me know in the comments!
And don't forget to check our tamarind juice recipe, and our tamarind candy balls to relive those good times.
Video
Recipe
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Paleta de Tamarindo [Recipe + Video] Tamarind Popsicles
Ingredients
- 3 cups tamarind fruit, (peel beforehand), or seeded tamarind paste
- 1¼ cups sugar (white, granulated), (or to taste)
Instructions
Soak the tamarind in 8 cups of water [1.5 liters] overnight in a large pot or bowl.- Strain the tamarind with a fine mesh strainer submerged in the liquid, and crush the fruit with a spatula or fork to remove as much of the pulp as possible.Discard the solids.
- Add extra water if you find it too strong or acidic. Add sugar to taste.Pour the juice into the popsicle molds, add the sticks (or pour into clean jars), and leave in the freezer for 3 hours, or until they are frozen solid.
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
FAQs
You can use tamarind paste to make tamarind juice, tamarind candy, and tamarind popsicles. It is easier to work than seed-in tamarind.
Tamarind had a sour taste with just a mere hint of sweetness, though great quality tamarind tends to be sweeter and less acidic.
Paletas is Spanish for popsicles, though it varies from country to country.
Published Aug 30, 2022, revised
