Do you remember the treats you used to eat as a kid? Fun, homemade desserts your mom made in the summer? Yeah, I miss them too!
I'm currently writing a thriller in which the main character works in a dangerous industry with her family. As a result, they make the most of the time they have together. Holidays and special occasions are always spent cooking and laughing together.
I wanted to introduce some of the recipes I grew up with. The sweet and hot of Mango-Chili just epitomizes that summer taste from the neighborhood.
This is a twist on something I used to have as a kid. The 'Paleta Man' or popsicle guy used to walk around with a rolling freezer he pushed like a stroller. He'd ring a bell you could hear over freeze tag and the squeals of water gun fights. Of all the fruity flavors the Mango-Chili flavor is my favorite.
So I set out to recreate this taste for my book because Elara tends to favor sweets given her high octane life AND she has nieces and nephews who love her desserts.
I wanted to remain true to my plant based diet so I omitted any sort of milk or cream which I felt made it heavy and not as refreshing.
The sweet chili syrup taste was the hardest to duplicate, but I found it in a neat mix of apricot jam and Chamoy chili sauce. It tastes just like the candy you could get at the corner store where you push up the bottom and spicy candy hair sprouts out. If you've had it, you know what I mean.
I wanted a softer texture rather than straight up frozen juice pop so I opted for a smoothie approach, but left some chunks in. The secret to the great taste and beautiful color though, is the layering and drizzle of the spicy sweet syrup.
I hope you guys like the recipe and get to make it with your family or friends. If you make it, take a picture and tag me so I can see it. Also, don't forget to join my newsletter below for a free novella to start your summer out right!
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I share news on tech innovations and how they affect us, publishing industry news, updates on my near-future thriller books, and recipes from my characters.