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I have this theory that people tend to dress for yesterday’s weather.
The day after a 90°F day, I see so many people in tank tops and shorts and sandals and sun dresses, even if it’s a high of 70°F and raining.

The day after a cold snap, I see so many people carrying around jackets and sweaters even when temperatures have rebounded and the extra clothing is no longer necessary.
In Chicago, where the temperatures tend to bounce around from one day to the next, that can leave us woefully under or over dressed when we get it wrong.

Especially for any of us who live or work or have reason to visit a building with overly exuberant climate control.
Ah, hindsight is a powerful corrective.

Which is why I recommend dressing in layers. Even if I don’t always follow my own advice.


All of which is an incredibly circuitous way of saying, I kinda did the cooking equivalent of dressing for yesterday when I made these popsicles.
They’re pretty much the food equivalent of a tank top or a sundress.
The absolute perfect thing on a hot summer day. But on any other day, you can’t fully appreciate them.

I made these intensely puckery, refreshing, limey popsicles on a 90+°F day.
And I didn’t get around to eating one until the next day, which had a high of, maybe, 72°F.

And all I could think while eating them was just how much I wanted one of these yesterday.
How I couldn’t think of anything I’d want more on a really hot sticky day.

But eating them on a mild summer day, even though they were good, felt a little bit wrong, like I was wasting their refreshing super powers.

These popsicles, which come from Fany Gerson’s Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas are not joking around. They are so tart that they almost have tingly heat.
They are ice pops for true lime fiends.

The lime flavor comes not just from lime juice, but also from strips of lime zest that get simmered in a simple syrup to bring out the concentrated flavor from the natural lime oil in the peel.
It’s a great way to add depth to the citrus flavor.
The lime here doesn’t feel one note. It’s bright and punchy.
Oh, and when you’re juicing this many limes, you’ll thank yourself for spending a few bucks on citrus squeezer. They increase the yield on the juice way beyond what you’ll get with a reamer, a fork, or squeezing them with your hands.

These lime popsicles seem ripe for cocktail popsicle adaptations.
Throw in a splash of gin for a gimlet popsicle, rum for a daiquiri popsicle, tequila and salt for a margarita popsicle.
(Oh, and if you’re looking for a mango lime popsicle, or a coconut lime popsicle I’ve got you covered.)
But whatever you do with them, keep them in the freezer until a really hot summer day comes along. Then, enjoy.


Lime Popsicles

These popsicles are very tart and replete with lime flavor. For these to taste right, the lime juice should be freshly squeezed. In my experience, limes vary quite a bit in the amount of juice they produce. (They’re also the peskiest citrus to juice. If you want to make the task easier and get the best yield on your juice, I recommend using a citrus squeezer like the one linked below.) I got 3/4 of a cup of juice from just 3 large limes, which were what I could find at the local Latin grocery store, but I think that’s an unusually large yield per fruit. Gerson recommends using smaller limes and says it will take 10 limes to yield the desired amount of juice. If you have medium sized limes, I’m guessing you’d need 5-6 limes. I’d recommend buying an extra couple of limes beyond what you think you’ll need just to be on the safe side. I’ve been using all-metal molds, but you can use any molds (including household items like tall shot glasses or little paper cups) you have around. If your mold doesn’t have a lid to hold the popsicle stick in place, wait for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the popsicles are partially frozen to add the sticks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 1-inch strips of lime zest
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from anywhere from 3 large limes to 10 small ones
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and lime zest, and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer and discard the zest. Stir in the lime juice. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid 4-5 hours, depending on the size of the mold.
Recommended Products
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-
Onyx 18/8 Stainless Steel Popsicle Mold, Set of 6
-
IMUSA USA VICTORIA-70007 Lemon Squeezer, Yellow
-
Kuhn Rikon 3-Set Original Swiss Peeler, Red/Green/Yellow
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Paletas: Authentic Recipes for Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice & Aguas Frescas
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All-Clad 4211 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe Saucier Pan / Cookware, 1-Quart, Silver
-
Onyx Stainless Steel Popsicle Mold
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 0g
Mary
Tuesday 18th of June 2024
Do I have to add the lime zest or can I just use the juice? Thanks these look good!Hoping to find a recipe to the expensive outshine bars we would usually buy at Walmart...
Rebekah
Sunday 21st of November 2021
Really good loved them!
Rebekah
Sunday 21st of November 2021
Good!
Ken
Thursday 11th of March 2021
These are awesome! I am going through chemo right now and one of the side effects is it changes your taste....especially sweet things. The tangy lime flavour is perfect and has been a total life saver for me. Thank you
Elian
Friday 3rd of April 2020
Made it as instructions followed and it taste just as good as it does at my local Hispanic ice cream shop!!! Very happy with the results, will definitely make it again :)