Researchers have told us our memory for sound is significantly worse than our memory for things we see or touch. I can't help but wonder where those 'researchers' grew up or if they somehow skipped their childhood years, passed go and went straight to adulthood. Maybe I am an outlier but I can still recall many of the sounds from my midwestern, suburban childhood, most of them associated with a happy memory (am still trying to forget the unhappy ones). One of the more memorable, happy sounds were those coming from the Good Humor Ice Cream truck as it meandered through the neighborhood. Like little Pavlovians, the sound of the song played by the truck was enough to cause kids everywhere to stop what they were doing and begin drooling in anticipation of the truck driving by their house. One's level happiness increased significantly if you had enough nickels and dimes to buy your favorite ice cream treat (and no one except maybe a parent cared if you were going to be too full to eat dinner afterwards). Dessert first is a concept of us learn early.
No matter how old we get, there is something refreshing about eating an ice cold popsicle, particularly in hot weather. However, there is something irresistible about a popsicle infused with alcohol, especially when the alcohol is tequila. And it's quite possible you won't really care what the weather may be like outside after your first taste of a paletas de crema y cereza con tequila (aka sour cream, cherry and tequila ice pop). The creaminess of the ice pop along with flavor of the tequila infused sweetened cherries is a lethally, insanely delicious taste combination. Think cherries jubilee on crack. The taste of the tequila is subtle, not at all overwhelming. So if you feel a little tipsy after eating one, it will not be because of the alcohol.
Did you know that cherry trees don't begin producing any fruit until they are at least five years old? Or that a single mature tree (10-15 years old) can produce up to 100 pounds of fruit? And the health benefits of cherries? Oh, the list is almost endless. Antioxidant protection, cancer-prevention compounds, reduces inflammation, supports healthy sleeping, arthritis pain relief, reduces belly fat, reduces post-exercise muscle pain and lowers the risk of stroke. So many reasons to find ways of increasing your cherry intake. Does one really need a reason to infuse a little tequila into their diet?
There are several steps and varying chilling/freezing times that go into making the paletas de crema y cereza con tequila so plan on making them the day before you want to serve them (or start early in the day and serve them well into the evening). Eight ounces of cherries along with some confectionary sugar and sea salt are cooked until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil slightly. Once the freshly squeezed lemon juice is added, the mixture continues to cook until it has the consistency of maple syrup. After removing the pan from the heat two Tablespoons of tequila are stirred in. I will go on a short rant and say use a really good tequila (I would say use the one you would drink, but that is leaving too much to chance). We all have our go to tequila favorites, mine is Patron Silver. Rant over. The mixture is transferred to a bowl and placed in the refrigerator until chilled.
The ice pop base is made with whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and sour cream. Use an organic milk and sour cream if you can. Maybe not a deal breaker, but it definitely creates a rich, creamy smooth ice pop. The sour cream/cooked milk mixture also needs to be refrigerated and fully chilled before the ice pop assembly can begin.
Prior to making these paletas de crema y cereza con tequila, I did not own an ice pop mold. I bought the one recommended by fellow food bloggers Smitten Kitchen and Lottie and Doof. I am going to add voice to the endorsement of this mold. If you don't have one, you can make them in glasses (ones that can be placed in the freezer).
Once the sour cream/milk mixture has chilled, you will pour/spoon into the molds to a height of approximately one inch. Before placing the molds in the freezer, I dropped in one of the cherries. Once the mixture begins to set (approximately 30-35 minutes in the freezer), the 'drained' cherries and remaining sour cream/milk mixture is evenly divided among the molds. The sticks are inserted and the mold is placed into the freezer.
The recipe indicated the chilling time for the paletas was 3-4 hours. Either my freezer wasn't cold enough, but they benefitted from chilling in the freezer overnight.
The original recipe calls for 'draining' the cherries before adding to the sour cream/milk mixture. I used a kitchen tweezers to add the cherries, shaking them off lightly before dropping them in. Additionally I added just a little of the remaining cherry/tequila liquid to each of the molds, stirring it in to the last sour cream/milk mixture poured into the molds. Whatever you do, don't throw any of the remainder thickened liquid out (that would be a sin). It would be great poured over ice cream, added to a simple syrup, or added to a margarita/martini/mojito.
May your summer be filled with cherries and tequila in whatever form you choose. Hopefully paletas de crema y cereza con tequila will be on your list of options. They are seriously better than anything sold on the ice cream trucks of our childhood and might cause you to drool.
Recipe
paletas de crema y cereza con tequila (an ever so slight adaption to the paletas de crema y cereza con tequilla recipe found in Fany Gerson's cookbook Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice, and Aguas Frescas)
Ingredients
8 ounces stemmed and pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup confectionary sugar
2 Tablespoons silver or blanco tequila (recommend Patron Silver)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whole milk (recommend using organic milk)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped or 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream (recommend using organic sour cream)
Directions
1. In a small-medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan, cook cherries and confectionary sugar over medium heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.
2. Lower the heat, stir in lemon juice, simmering (and stirring often) until the syrup has thickened to a consistency like maple syrup. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in tequilla. Cut cherries in half and transfer mixture to a small bowl and refrigerate until completely chilled.
4. In a medium-sized heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, granulated sugar and salt. If using the vanilla bean, scrape seeds into the mixture and then add the pod. (Note: If using vanilla extract, add after sugar has dissolved and just comes to a boil.)
5. When mixture just comes to a boil, remove from the heat and whisk in the sour team until the mixture is completely smooth. Let cool slightly, remove the vanilla bean and refrigerate mixture until completely chilled.
6. Put enough of the sour cream mixture into each of the ice pop molds to a height of 1 inch. Add a single cherry to each mold and place in freezer for 30 minutes (or until it begins to set).
7. Divide cut cherries amongst the molds, then pour in remaining sour cream/milk mixture dividing evenly among the molds, alternating between the cherries and sour cream/milk mixture. Place molds in freezer, freezing until solid (approximately 3-4 hours in a conventional mold). Follow manufacture directions for inserting sticks and unmolding. Notes: My freezing time as closer to 6 hours, but waited overnight until unmolding. I added the popsicle sticks before putting mold in the freezer.
Important Notes: If cherries are whole, cut in half before proceeding. The original recipe calls for draining the cherries however, I removed the cherries from the bowl using kitchen tweezers in order for some of the thickened sauce to drip into the milk/sour cream mixture. I drizzled and swirled in a very small amount of the remaining sauce after pouring in the sour cream milk mixture. I am saving the remaining 'sauce' for another use.
If using using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until pops are pops are beginning to set (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid. At least 3-4 hours. If using an instant ice pop maker, mix the drained cherries with the sour cream/milk mixture before pouring into the molds, then follow the manufacturer's instructions.
One of the iconic cherry farms in northeastern Wisconsin.
Cherry tree blossoming on a blue sky spring day.
A roadside stand selling one of the regions best, worth making a long drive to buy fruit.