Bolis de Jamaica (Mexican Hibiscus Ice Pops) Recipe

When it will get to be that scorching and sticky time of 12 months, there’s nothing fairly like bolis―ice pops that may be discovered throughout Mexico in quite a lot of flavors. These sweet-tart, jewel-toned bolis de Jamaica (hibiscus) are intensely refreshing, with a fruity, floral taste that’s considerably much like cranberry. Frozen inside small plastic luggage, they’re extraordinarily handy for consuming on the go.

There are two predominant varieties of bolis: bolis de leche (milk bolis) and bolis de agua (water bolis). Flavors of milk bolis might embody chocolate milk or key lime pie, and infrequently have swirls of nutella or cajeta and even chunks of cookies or fashionable snack truffles, like chocolate-covered Gansitos, combined in. 

Water bolis, alternatively, are usually fruity. Widespread flavors embody mango (with or with out chamoy), lime, pineapple, and nanche, a small golden fruit that appears like a cherry however with a extra pungent taste. My favourite is made with flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flowers). In Mexico, agua de Jamaica, or hibiscus tea, is a well-liked chilly drink constructed from the dried flowers of the hibiscus plant, which arrived within the Americas with the African diaspora. 

On the peak of summer time, even the iciest water boli received’t take too lengthy to melt up and be able to eat. On cooler days, nevertheless, many individuals both depart them out on the counter for a pair minutes or run them beneath the faucet to make it simpler to start out consuming. For this recipe, I needed to create a boli that was smoother, much less icy, and straightforward to eat straight out of the freezer. I made a decision to strive including hydrocolloids, carbohydrates which are used to switch the feel of meals. For instance, guar gum is a hydrocolloid that’s typically used as a thickening agent in industrial ice lotions. Different frequent hydrocolloids embody starch and gelatin. For my preliminary exams, I examined two varieties of widely-available starch: cornstarch and tapioca starch.

My take a look at with cornstarch made a boli with a pudding-like texture. Because it thawed, the boli turned a bit gummy and ate like chilly strawberry jam, which was not what I used to be after. Despite the fact that the batch with tapioca had extra potential, it nonetheless retained a too mushy texture. In the long run, neither take a look at produced a transparent winner.

I made a decision to strive granulated sugar, which is a robust device for altering the feel of each baked and frozen items, due to its hygroscopic properties. Moreover including sweetness, the sugar retains the boli from freezing right into a brick as a result of, like salt, including sugar to water lowers the freezing point and interferes with the formation of arduous ice crystals (like anti-freeze). The ensuing boli was appropriately icy and softened shortly as soon as faraway from the freezer, changing into deliciously slushy-like as I ate it.

I nonetheless needed to nail down the Jamaica taste. To arrange the flor de Jamaica, I examined brewing the flowers in cold and warm water. I discovered that scorching water introduced out the flower’s intense tartness (but when cooked too lengthy, gave the tea a bitter edge), whereas chilly extraction highlighted its delicate floral notes. I ended up combining each strategies to provide a balanced concentrated tea by beginning the dried flowers in chilly water, bringing it to a simmer, then letting it cool. As soon as I pressure out the flowers, I stir within the sugar, in addition to lime juice (ideally key lime, however the Persian limes which are commonplace within the US additionally work nicely) and salt, which amplify the flavors. That mentioned, you can also give your tea an fragrant or fruity twist by infusing it with various spices and even pineapple skins.

It’s essential to say that the freshness of the flor de Jamaica you purchase will produce a marked distinction within the tea’s taste. Good-quality dried flor de Jamaica ought to nonetheless be a bit leathery and versatile, not brittle. If the one flor de Jamaica you will get your arms on is previous and dusty-dry, you’ll be able to nonetheless make scrumptious bolis, however style the boli combination earlier than freezing and add additional sugar or lime juice as wanted.  

To freeze the bolis, you’ll want the proper plastic luggage. A fast seek for “boli luggage” or “ice pop luggage” will flip up various choices you’ll be able to order on-line, for those who can’t discover them domestically. Mine had been 2 3/4- by 10-inches, which is a typical measurement for boli luggage. To get the boli combination into the bag, it’s good to have a helper available to carry the baggage open for you. If nobody’s round, you’ll be able to place the bag upright in a cup, fold the highest again to maintain it open, then pour the combination in very slowly. The bag will shift and settle because it fills, however so long as you’re pouring slowly and paying consideration, you’ll be able to readjust the bag as you go. Fill the bag midway then tie it off, ensuring to go away slightly room within the bag to stop it from bursting because the liquid inside freezes and expands. After some follow, you’ll get the dangle of it.

As soon as able to eat, minimize or chew off one of many decrease corners of the bag to make a gap. You may need to chew by the bag slightly bit to get the frozen combination out, however quickly, it is going to soften in your hand. Mushing it round within the bag as you eat helps soften the boli right into a dreamy slushy combine. Simply watch out for mind freeze and luxuriate in.

August 2022