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Tamarind and Palm Sugar Popsicles With Chili Salt Recipe

Sohla El-Waylly
Published: Last Updated:
Tamarind and Palm Sugar Popsicles With Chili Salt Recipe

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

If you grew up on the salty and spicy tamarind-flavored candy Pelon Pelo Rico, then you'll love these popsicles, which are inspired by the sticky, sweet treat. The biggest challenge of this recipe is procuring the ingredients, but you can get most of them online. Palm sugar adds a caramelized sweetness to the tart tamarind concentrate that flavors these pops. Just before serving they're dipped in a perky chili salt spiked with malic acid for a tongue curling bite.

Why It Works

  • A touch of gelatin gives the popsicles a tender, icy bite.
  • Adding a measured amount of ice to the hot base quickly chills and dilutes it.
  • Malic acid is added to the chili salt for a mouthwatering hit of acid.

Read more: Chili Salt Makes These Tamarind Popsicles a Grown-Up Treat

  • Yield:Makes ten 3-ounce popsicles
  • Active time: 30 minutes
  • Total time:9 hours

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin
  • 2 pieces (4.3 ounces; 120g) palm sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces; 40g) tamarind concentrate (no sugar added)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon malic acid (see note)

Directions

  1. 1.

    Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup (120ml) room temperature water and set aside to bloom.

  2. 2.

    Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan, crush the palm sugar into small pieces. In a small sauce pot, combine the palm sugar with 1 cup (240ml) water and heat, stirring occasionally, just until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture and tamarind concentrate. Add an additional 8 ounces (240g) ice by weight or 1 cup of ice water by volume to dilute and chill the popsicle base.

  3. 3.

    Divide evenly among 10 (3-fluid-ounce) popsicle molds and freeze until just beginning to firm, about 30 minutes. Insert popsicle sticks and continue freezing until completely solid, about 8 hours. To un-mold, dunk molds in hot tap water for a few seconds and jiggle sticks to release. Wrap individually in plastic and freeze for up to 3 weeks.

  4. 4.

    For the chili salt, in a small bowl combine the cayenne, sugar, salt, and malic acid. Dip the edge of each popsicle into the chili salt before serving.

This Recipe Appears In
Chili Salt Makes These Tamarind Popsicles a Grown-Up Treat

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Sohla El-Waylly Culinary Editor

Sohla got her start decorating ice cream cakes and clown cones at her parent’s scoop shop in LA. After backpacking through Europe and discovering the world’s best arroz negro, she decided to follow food wherever it took her. This led her to work in some of New York’s top restaurants and meet her now husband over a slice of DiFara’s pizza. Together, they owned and operated a restaurant in Brooklyn, which earned them a StarChefs Rising Star Award. She can often be found chasing her dog through Tompkins Square Park (as he runs away from her…again).

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