Vegan

Donají is a delicious traditional beverage in the state of Oaxaca, named after a Zapotec princess. The exact ingredients of this cocktail vary, but typically it contains mezcal and orange juice and is served in a glass rimmed with sal de gusano, a powdered combination of chiles, salt, and roasted gusano, a caterpillar that lives on the agave plant. It may sound strange, but it is so good. If you ever travel to Oaxaca, you must try it. Although I haven’t seen donají offered as a paleta flavor anywhere, I think it’s only a matter of time, because the combination is delicious.

In Mexico, fruit and chiles are often found together: in fruit stands, where ground chiles are sprinkled over freshly cut fruit; in fruit-flavored lollipops covered with ground chiles; and in many different ice pops. The spiciness in these ice pops comes from a chile-infused syrup and chunks of fresh pineapple tossed with ground chiles, so they have different layers of flavor and spiciness.

Mexicans can never have enough limes. We put them in everything, so it’s no surprise that this flavor of paleta is one of the top three sellers everywhere. For this recipe, try to use the smaller limes, similar to Key limes, as they’re a little more tart. That said, these ice pops will be delicious with any lime juice as long as it’s freshly squeezed.

Hibiscus is a flavor that you could say is quintessentially Mexican. Hibiscus paletas are widely available, but not with raspberries. My friend Hannah thought these two flavors would be awesome together, and she was right. (Thanks, Hannah!) We spent a lot of time figuring out different ways to blend the two flavors: cooking the berries in a bit of the agua de jamaica, macerating or mashing them together, and using frozen versus fresh berries. I kept experimenting and found that mixing the raspberries with the sugar and letting them sit for a while helped draw out their juices. Then, when you pour in the agua de jamaica, the juices blend, so you get both flavors in every bite.

These incredibly refreshing paletas are quite easy to make. In Mexico, they typically include the watermelon seeds, which are blended along with the flesh, but feel free to use a seedless melon or remove the seeds if you prefer.

A few hours outside of Mexico City lies the lakeside town of Valle de Bravo. Many people escape there for the weekend to get some fresh air and enjoy the lake and the chilly mornings in the mountains. We had some family friends who had a country house there. What I looked forward to most when we visited were the incredible wild blackberries, bursting with juice and with a slight tartness that I loved. I always had blackberry smoothies for breakfast and as many of these paletas as I could get. In this recipe, the mixture isn’t strained. Part of the awesomeness is enjoying the little seeds in every bite.

My childhood friend, Dan, loves grapefruit paletas and he kept asking me when La Newyorkina would have them available at the market. They did make a short appearance there, but I also promised I would include this recipe in the book. These slightly bitter ice pops are incredibly refreshing. I prefer to use Ruby Red grapefruit juice because it tends to be a bit sweeter and has a prettier color.

I love that time near the end of summer when a walk through the market is filled with the smell of sweet juices, drawing you toward the big mountains of melons! For the sweetest paletas, pick melons that smell quite fragrant when you hold them close to you.

This is probably one of the most common paletas—maybe because the flavor is so kid- and adult-friendly. Strawberry paletas have been my brother’s favorite since he was a kid. The best strawberries in Mexico are from Irapuato; they’re a kind of wild strawberry that sweetens the air, and people travel from all over to get big baskets of them. If you are lucky enough to have access to wild strawberries, which are smaller than those that you find at grocery stores but have intensely concentrated sweet flavor, please use them to make these paletas. They are so good and also quite delicate, so they squish easily—perfect for our purposes.

A refreshing and versatile sauce, this pairs nicely with ice cream, cake, fruit, and chocolate desserts. Make a couple of batches and divide into several small freezer storage bags and store frozen for up to 6 months.

This filling adds a little tropical flavor to a basic vanilla sponge cake. Frost it with whipped cream and you’re done. For a special vegan dessert, top the Dairy-Free Cheesecake (page 62) with this sweet and tangy topping.

This vegan chocolate crème is a luxurious filling or topping for any cake. It produces a great custardlike quality thanks to the silken tofu. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to flavor this versatile filling. Try Amaretto, Frangelico, or Grand Marnier, for a special treat.

This is a wonderful all-purpose topping for cakes, fresh fruit, granola, and more. Though the taste is rich and velvety, it’s actually low fat and packed with protein as an added bonus.

Here’s a delectable custard-style filling that’s low-fat and dairy-free. It’s delicious piped into the center of a cupcake for a creamy citrus surprise.

Sweet cherries are delicious as a cake filling and make a luscious topping for cheesecake.

Like traditional cream cheese frosting, this vegan version is a wonderful compliment to any spiced cake or cupcake. Spread this frosting on the vegan Gingerbread Cake (page 56)—scrumptious!

In this light and elegant dessert, the pears turn a beautiful rosy color from the wine. The slightly tart taste of lemon topping drizzled over the pears and the crunch of toasted pistachios complete the dish.

This is a must-have in the Catalano home. The flavor of this sorbet is intense, and the color is gorgeous. This versatile dessert is a light, refreshing way to end any meal. Melted, it makes a delicious complement to vanilla ice cream or scrumptious sauce for chocolate cake.

To achieve a rich chocolate taste, use a high-quality cocoa powder.

Here’s a staple no-roll piecrust that’s assembled in minutes.