Paletas - Mexican Chocolate Ice Pops

By 1For_Him

Flavored with cinnamon, almonds and vanilla, this sweet chocolate is available in Latin markets and some supermarkets. Mexican chocolate has a much grainier texture than other chocolates. It's used in the preparation of a Mexican hot chocolate drink and certain Mexican specialties such as mole poblano (see mole), a chile-almond sauce usually served with fowl. One ounce semisweet chocolate, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 drop almond extract can be substituted for 1 ounce Mexican chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1 (3" pc.) canela (Mexican Cinnamon stick)
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 8 oz. Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped- divided
• 3/4 c. mix of toasted almonds & hazelnuts, coarsely chopped- divided

Details

Adapted from girlichef.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put cream, milk, cinnamon stick, and salt in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and continue to simmer for ~5 minutes. Add half of the chopped chocolate and stir until dissolved. Let cool (over an ice bath or in the fridge) completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

Combine the remaining chopped chocolate with the toasted nuts.

Divide the cooled cream mixture evenly among popsicle molds, leaving enough room on top to add the chocolate/nut mixture later. Freeze until mixture has a bit of a slushy consistency, ~30 minutes. Evenly divide the chocolate/nut mixture into the slushy molds, pushing down a bit so that the mixture is just covered. Add your sticks (this may push little bits to the top and middle of the popsicles...but I like it...little surprises hidden throughout) and freeze until solid.