Mango-Lime Paletas

Peel and pit all the mangoes. The easiest way to peel an Ataulfo mango is to score the skin lengthways in strips with a knife and peel it back like a banana — the skin comes away cleanly. Cut the flesh away from the flat, oval stone in two large pieces from each side, then trim any remaining flesh from around the stone. Set aside approximately 100g of the flesh and cut it into small 5mm dice if you want visible mango chunks in the finished paletas — this is optional but adds a pleasing texture. Place the remaining mango flesh into a blender. Zest the limes directly over the blender to catch all the aromatic oils, then juice them and add the juice. Add the pinch of fine sea salt. Blend on high speed for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth and no fibrous pieces remain — the mixture should be a vivid, deep orange-yellow purée with a thick, almost pourable consistency. If the blender struggles, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until it runs freely, but use as little as possible. Taste the blended mixture. It should taste intensely of mango, bright with lime, and very slightly sharp — it needs to taste slightly more intense and slightly more acidic than you want the finished paleta to taste, because freezing dulls both sweetness and acidity. Add agave syrup or honey one tablespoon at a time if it needs sweetness, blending briefly after each addition. Taste again after each addition and stop as soon as it tastes right — over-sweetened paletas are cloying. Add more lime juice if it needs more brightness.

If using the optional diced mango, stir it through the blended mixture now — distribute it evenly so each paleta gets some chunks. Pour or ladle the mango mixture into paleta moulds or ice lolly moulds, filling each one to within 5mm of the top — leave a small gap as the mixture expands slightly as it freezes. If you do not have paleta moulds, use small paper cups (180–200ml size) — they work perfectly and the paper peels away cleanly when the paleta is frozen. Tap each mould firmly on the counter two or three times to release any air bubbles and settle the mixture. If using moulds with built-in sticks, insert them now. If using paper cups or moulds without sticks, place the filled moulds in the freezer for 45–60 minutes until the mixture is partially frozen and firm enough to hold a stick upright — then insert a wooden ice lolly stick into the centre of each one, pushing it straight down to about two-thirds of the depth of the mould. The partial freeze holds the stick perfectly centred as the paleta finishes freezing. Freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight — the paletas must be completely solid all the way through before unmoulding. They keep in the freezer for up to 6 weeks; once frozen solid, wrap each one individually in cling film or wax paper to prevent freezer burn and store them in a zip-lock bag.

To unmould the paletas, fill a tall glass or jug with warm (not hot) water. Dip each mould into the warm water for 10–15 seconds — just long enough to loosen the paleta from the sides of the mould without melting the outside. Hold the stick firmly and pull upward with a gentle, steady pressure — the paleta should slide out cleanly. If it resists, dip for another 5 seconds and try again. Do not force it or the stick may pull out. For paper cup moulds, simply tear the paper away from the sides — it peels off easily once the paleta is fully frozen. Work quickly once unmoulded — paletas melt faster than you expect, especially in a warm kitchen. Serve immediately or return to the freezer on a tray lined with baking parchment while you unmould the rest. To finish with tajín: spread a small amount of tajín on a flat plate. Roll the outside of each unmoulded paleta lightly in the tajín, or sprinkle it over the surface — a light, even coating is all that is needed. The tajín should be visible as a fine reddish-orange dusting over the golden mango surface. Serve immediately with an extra wedge of lime alongside.

Serve the paletas immediately after unmoulding and finishing with tajín — they are at their best the moment they come out of the freezer, when the outside is just beginning to soften and the inside is still completely solid. Place each paleta on a small plate or serve directly by the stick. A wedge of fresh lime alongside for squeezing over is the traditional accompaniment. For a serving presentation, arrange the unmoulded paletas on a tray or board over crushed ice — the ice keeps them cold and slows melting, and the visual of golden mango paletas on white crushed ice with lime wedges and a dusting of tajín is striking. If serving to guests with different heat tolerances, keep the tajín on the side and let people season their own — some will want a generous coating, others none at all. The paletas are also excellent plain, without the tajín, for a cleaner, purer mango-lime flavour.